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Everything we know about Prince Harry’s controversial new memoir ‘Spare’

The book officially hits the shelves next week

Chiara Wilkinson
Written by
Chiara Wilkinson
&
Grace Dawes
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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll have noticed that the internet has been buzzing with headlines detailing some pretty juicy revelations from Prince Harry’s upcoming memoir ‘Spare’. There have been stories about how he lost his virginity to an ‘older woman’, revelations about him killing Taliban fighters in Afghanistan and even goss about his penis and cocaine use.

There’s been a lot of speculation about how much we will discover about life in the royal family, as well as Harry’s relationship with his brother, Prince William, and his love story with Meghan Markle. Here’s everything we know about ‘Spare’ so far.

When is Prince Harry’s book ‘Spare’ released?

The book will be released on January 10 2023 in a whopping 16 different languages. 

How can I pre-order it?

You can pre-order the book via most major book retailers, such as Waterstones. If you’d rather hear the prince read the book himself, the audiobook is available for pre-order on Audible.

What is Prince Harry’s memoir about?

‘Spare’ is the long-awaited autobiography of Prince Harry. The book includes reflections on grief, youth and the complications of royal life. There are sections dealing with the death of his mother, his marriage to Meghan Markle and his eventual exit from the royal family in February 2021. 

What are the biggest revelations we know so far?

Some of the stories that we can expect to read have been leaked (as copies of the book accidentally went on sale a few days early in Spain), including an alleged physical attack from Harry’s brother, Prince William, and the story of how he lost his virginity in a field behind a busy pub. In a more sorrowful moment, the 38-year-old also recounts the moment he drove through the tunnel in Paris where his mother, Princess Diana, had died. 

The book is rumoured to be full of other personal private details, including whether or not Harry is circumcised and his experience of having a frost-bitten penis at William and Kate’s wedding. 

What have the royal family said about the memoir?

While there has not been any comment on the book from any of Prince Harry’s family members, it is presumed that they will not approve of the publication (and that’s very much an understatement).

Harry takes no prisoners and is said to mainly target his brother Prince William and the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, as well as King Charles and his wife Camilla, throughout the 416-page book.

Will there be a promo tour for ‘Spare’?

Prince Harry will do two interviews to promote ‘Spare’. The first will be on the CBS show 60 Minutes, hosted by Anderson Cooper, in the USA, in which he will apparently answer the question about whether he’d ever return to life of royal duty.

The second interview will air on ITV News. ‘Harry: The Interview’ will be hosted by broadcaster Tom Bradby and go out at 9pm on Sunday January 8 (two days before the publication of the book).

What does the title ‘Spare’ mean?

The term ‘spare’ is is derived from the famous adage ‘the heir and the spare’, which is often referred to when someone has two children, usually two sons.

In the context of the royal family, Harry has spent all of his life being the ‘spare’. His brother William is currently the heir to the throne.

How much did Prince Harry get paid to write ‘Spare’?

It has been reported that Prince Harry’s publishers paid him $20 million for the memoir. According to a spokesperson from Penguin Random House, he will ‘support British charities with donations from his proceeds from “Spare”.’

Prince Harry will give £1.6 million to two UK children’s charities. Sentebale, an organisation which supports vulnerable children in Lesotho and Botswana affected by HIV/AIDS, will receive £1.3 million.

WellChild, a non-profit which Harry has supported for 15 years, will receive £300,000. This will go towards caring for children and young people with complex health issues.

Will Prince Harry attend King Charles’s coronation? 

According to a recent trailer for the ITV interview, Prince Harry has not yet confirmed whether he will accept an invitation to his father’s coronation in May.

Harry told the interviewer: ‘There’s a lot that can happen between now and then. But the door is always open. The ball is in their court.’

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