Spare: by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex

The searing image of Prince Harry and his brother Prince William walking behind their mother’s coffin is etched in all of our minds. And what I notice throughout is the most seismic event of Harry’s life, when he tragically lost his mother at the age of 12, which shapes the book. There are some interesting (sometimes funny) anecdotes about his royal life when he was younger, but threaded across the pages are also incredibly raw and emotional moments. What is also conveyed very deeply is the pitiful life of “the Spare” - often feeling as though your life has no value, no ultimate mission/goal, you have nothing to offer because you will never wear the Crown. As Prince Harry himself says, when his whole life has been told through the lens of the media, why should he not be able to (finally) tell his own story from the man who lived it! It is undeniably depressing that Harry and Meghan felt they couldn’t continue in their royal roles. They could have been a huge force for good, supporting communities in the UK and the Commonwealth, representing a true Modern Monarchy with their enviable platform and privilege. Leaked excerpts of The Duke’s memoirs don’t do his story justice. The book as a whole is a must read! Highly recommend :)

I didn't relish reading this book, and there were parts I didn't enjoy very much: Harry's stint in the army, several references to hunting episodes, and an awful lot of fairly hedonistic partying. But after all the British press and the royal family have put him and Meghan through I felt it was important to read Harry's version of his own story, and I admire him immensely for having the courage to dig deep into his past in order to make this book happen. He chose a very good ghost writer, and although some errors appear - the timing of his parents' divorce, and confusion about his relationship to Henry VI (this surely should have been cleared up at Eton, the school Henry founded!) - details which J R Moehringer should probably have checked himself, the book itself is pretty compelling. I read 'Spare' in three days, full of sadness at the emotional isolation and massive harassment from the press that Harry had to endure for so many years. Thank goodness he found his true partner at last, but what a terrible price this couple have had to pay to be together, and to provide their new family with some much-needed security and precious distance from the ever hovering paparazzi. The first two parts of the book are interesting but my main concern in buying the book was to hear from Harry about what happened to him and Meghan (to Meghan especially) once their relationship began. It was, as I expected, a very grim tale. From my recollection of the ghastly press headlines Harry was actually quite understated about what they went through, but his account sets out very clearly the reasons why they had to leave the UK. How could anyone in the UK not understand and indeed sympathise deeply with that decision, and how could his family (sardonically nicknamed 'The Firm' by his mother) have behaved in the insensitive way they did, both in the meeting with Charles and William after Prince Philip's funeral, reported at the very start of the book, then at the so called Sandringham summit (whose manipulation by courtiers in league with who knows which royals Harry explains, along with several incriminating details)? As a beautiful, highly photogenic woman who had self-confidence and strongly held values it seems clear that Meghan was seen as deeply threatening both by the media and by certain members of the royal family and their staff. Diana had to grow into that self-empowered and independent identity which we remember and admire her for, but Meghan entered the royal family as an assured, successful, and economically independent woman. Alarm bells evidently went off pretty fast in the shuttered minds of those who are cocooned in the dehumanised and dehumanising environment of the Firm, while large numbers of the British press were driven almost rabid by the entry of this impressive woman into the RF. And this wasn't just the tabloids: The Times and The Telegraph were equally guilty. David Olusoga has recently commented that "the British Press monetises anger," and as the public who pay for their stories we are all implicated in that shameful practice. Harry spares us most of the ghastly press coverage, and he refrains from trying to analyse its complex causes except to point out that he told his family that the 'race factor' was involved; he also hints at the royals' jealousy of Meghan's warm reception on their Australia tour. Meghan's vile treatment by the British press and social media platforms should make us more alert to the deep feelings of envy and resentment, even hatred, that can be triggered by the combination of beauty, intelligence, and success in a woman - especially when deep seated racism is involved. But the role of Harry and Meghan's families in the seemingly unending stream of abuse directed at Meghan is the most disturbing aspect of their story, and while Harry is tactful about the attacks launched by or through Meghan's father, and doesn't even mention the torrent of hate directed at her by her step-sister, he provides some searing details about the various leaks from the Royal Family. To me Harry comes over, both in this book and in the "Harry and Meghan" documentary series, as a thoroughly decent man, who has matured into a thoughtful, compassionate and articulate individual. No one should have to bear the ongoing press and social media harassment which the couple has suffered, which led to what Neil Basu of the Metropolitan Police described as "credible death threats" against them - to the extent that snipers were placed on Windsor rooftops on the day of their wedding. Given this nightmare scenario, I find it unbelievable that many apparently intelligent commentators have accused Harry of 'whinging' or being a 'complainer'. They should try living a day in his shoes! To me the key themes in this book are, firstly, Harry's description of lifelong press harassment which erupted into a whole new level when he met Meghan, and drove her to contemplate suicide, and secondly, his exposure of ongoing palace collusion with the press via the leaking of stories. 'Spare' paints a very troubling picture of a disfunctional and media-obsessed royal family, who are so concerned with good press coverage that they leak stories that are often untrue about other members, either to promote their own agendas or to cover for other family. Harry's comments seemed to be completely confirmed when the Palace would say no word to the press about its hateful coverage of the many fabricated stories about Meghan; even after the obscene Clarkson rant, condemned by so many, all we heard from the palace was silence (and of course Camilla had lunch with her friend J Clarkson just a few days before his vile abuse of Meghan.....) Harry and Meghan would have been an incredible asset to the Royal Family in its efforts to hold the Commonwealth together and above all to Britain as it attempts to move forward as an ethnically diverse society in which all its members are treated equally. But they appear to have fallen victim to inter-familial rivalry as well as to the toxic legacy of racism that still infects our country. Harry doesn't talk about the confluence of attacks on Meghan with the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, amid the beginnings of a more intense national debate about the legacy of British colonialism, but sadly their union seems to have summoned up some very dark shadows from our colonial past. I hope that Britain will gradually be able to reflect on these deeper causes of the irrational hatred directed against Harry and Meghan. Thankfully they have embarked on their own journey of healing and recovery, far away from our toxic media and with some much-needed distance from the shockingly unsupportive royals. I wish them and their children every happiness.

It’s good to hear Harry’s side of the story - the book firmly takes aim at the British press (deservedly so) and hits the bullseye repeatedly, from News of the World to the Sun to the Daily Mail. The British press has been thoroughly revolting in its coverage of Harry - and Meghan - for years. I was a child, younger than Harry, when 1997 happened, and since then I have thought ‘the press must leave those boys alone!’ But they haven’t. People who haven’t read the book will go ‘oh he’s throwing his whole family under the bus’ but truthfully aside from a few veiled remarks, and moments where he is directly affected by the behaviour of others - Harry doesn’t. You can tell that even in this write-up, there is the pain of an estranged son and brother who loves his family and wants a relationship with them. I removed a star only because it kept referring to the English monarchy - as opposed to it being the monarchy of the UK. I noticed in the acknowledgments that there was actually a fact checker involved and I felt that this was such a basic fact it should have been pointed out. There has been no ‘Queen of England’ since Anne in the early 18th century, no ‘King of England’ since William III before her. This is important because England is *not* the UK. Sorry for that criticism but it’s true! Read it, because it’s a good insight into Harry’s life, and it’ll really upset the British press to see it do well!

I'm all in favour of a free press, one that reports facts, challenges and holds people to account but I'm against press that lies, fabricates, bullies, twists and manipulates. Harry's telling of his story is compelling and shocking... how the press' bizarre "agreement" with the Royal Family/Palace has been abused and is well passed its sell by date. Harry comes across as very honest, open and human in his writing; choosing family over institution... putting the well-being of his little family unit over duty to "it" and yet still wanting to respect and serve that institution, HAD he been allowed to. Instead it appears he's been thrown under a bus. As he says "it didn't have to be this way". He reached out repeatedly for help for him and his wife for years, only to be told "ignore it/it's just the way it is"... until he was desperate and brave enough to take on the system and say ENOUGH. Everyone knows you shouldn't believe everything you read in the papers and Harry gets his story across in a very convincing and heart rending way. I hope he's right in what he believes, that one day Charles and William will see how he was right and regret not standing with him and saying ENOUGH. Standing up to the press would have benefitted them too. A must read.

Prince Harry’s *Spare* is an eye-opening and deeply personal account of his life, full of honesty and emotion. His storytelling is gripping, drawing readers into the complexities of his journey, making it a must read for anyone interested in the royal family, personal resilience or the weight of public expectation. The book is packed with stories that leave an impression, from his recounting of life growing up in the shadow of his brother to his harrowing experiences in the military. His vivid description of the moment he learned of his mother’s passing is heartbreaking and his struggles with the media’s relentless scrutiny feel raw and unfiltered. His bond with Meghan, the difficulties of breaking away from royal tradition and the deep personal loss he experienced are all laid out with striking honesty. But here is the catch, the hardback edition is surprisingly difficult to read. The font size is disappointingly small, making long reading sessions tiring even for readers without sight issues. No matter how compelling the story is, it is frustrating when the reading experience itself feels like a challenge. It is baffling that such an important work has not been printed with better accessibility in mind. If you are considering *Spare*, the digital version may be the best choice. The ability to adjust text size makes a world of difference and allows you to focus on the powerful storytelling without distraction.

During my daily commute to work, I always stop by the local newsagent, where the papers are displayed for all to see. In the years following Harry and Meghan’s wedding, the constant barrage of vicious headlines denigrating the Royal Family’s newest member was, quite frankly, appalling. I couldn’t understand why the royals weren’t standing up for her, especially when she was pregnant. In the end, I concluded they were cowards. Spare not only reinforced everything I suspected, it also painted a picture of a dysfunctional family whose members are so out of touch with the average Brit they have no business acting as our representatives on the world stage. What struck me most was the petty, puerile jealousy of the males, specifically William and Charles. The former comes across as a spoiled brat who throws his silver spoon out of the pram whenever he doesn’t get what he wants. Charles gets off a little bit lighter. You get the sense that he loves his son, but his fears about being eclipsed by other members of the family ultimately paint him as a pathetic, insecure man more interested in lifting himself up than others. Not a quality you hope to see in any public servant, let alone a king. As for the women, I actually groaned aloud during the retelling of the ‘baby-brain’ incident. All this time, I’ve been decrying the stereotype that we Brits walk around with sticks permanently rammed up our arses. Clearly, some of us do. Thanks for that, Kate. You’re doing the UK populace a real service. Finally, Camilla. I used to feel sorry for her. She was vilified for loving a man. Her failure to comment on the opinion piece Clarkson wrote about Meghan shortly after he dined with the Queen Consort left a bitter taste. I thought she was a treacherous wench then. After reading Spare, I’m convinced of it. What’s truly sad is that all of this could have been prevented if the Royal Family had just shown some balls and challenged the press instead of feeding them. Hopefully, instead of blaming others, they’ll start looking inwards. Harry hasn’t created their latest PR problem. They have. Many of us were starting to develop negative impressions of them long before the Oprah interview, and I say this as someone who used to have a lot of respect for the royals. I can’t say I support the monarchy itself, but I appreciated the causes the RF were trying to shine a light on. Now it all seems like a joke. After watching the drama unfold in real-time, and especially after reading Spare, the claims that they care about mental health and ending violence against women sound utterly hollow. No doubt they’ll double down on the ‘Meghan Markle is a witch’ narrative, but I honestly think it’s a losing strategy, especially amongst younger demographics. On a positive note, Spare is an inspirational memoir that, at times, moved me to tears. It contains themes that will resonate with most readers, including surviving loss, overcoming grief, self-discovery and finding love - not just the romantic kind, but that which can be forged between friends and brothers in arms. At times, it was funny. Even in the chapters detailing the harrowing training Harry underwent to prepare him for what he might face if kidnapped in a war zone, there were lighter moments. In summation, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My favourite line, perhaps the one that touched me most of all, came towards the end and will stick with me for quite some time. My Love. She said: That is not a Spare.

This book has NOT been security checked for correct information , I feel Meghan and Harry are laughing at me for buying this book , And putting my money in there pockets. Harry can't come up with any dates, says he can't remember the dates of anything , Said he was At college on a Hot summers day when the phone call came about his Great Great Grandmother passing , He was not at school he was Skiing in Switzerland with his Brother ( I remember this) And the papers have come back with the proof. Harry says that his mother bought him an XBox for his 13th birthday in advance of her death that her sister brought to the school for him, again not true the XBox didn't come out till 4 years later . There is so many holes in the book . Every other page has something on it that didn't happen. He takes NO reasonability for ANYthing even when the evidence is staring him in his face. This book is a BIG con, don't waste your money.

I enjoyed reading Spare by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, getting his side of the story. Thank you very much.