The Royal Family drama continues with friends and supporters of the Palace ending their “silence” against allegations made by Prince Harry in his new book “Spare.”
The book paints the monarchy as a heartless and insensitive institution that failed to nurture and support him.
Royal Family Drama
Instead of bridging the brothers, Prince William and Harry after an earlier spat, the book sparked more Royal Family drama instead.
While members of the Royal family have not officially commented on the book, British newspapers and websites are full of quotes from unnamed “royal insiders,” to refute Prince Harry’s accusations. One said his public attacks on the Royal Family have been disastrous to the health of Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September.
Seasoned writer Jonathan Dimbleby, a biographer, and friend of King Charles III, said Harry’s disclosures were the type “that you’d expect … from a sort of B-list celebrity,” and that the King would be disappointed and frustrated by them.
“His concern … is to act as head of state for a nation which we all know is in pretty troubled condition,” Dimbleby told the BBC. “I think he will think this gets in the way.“
“Spare” won’t spare the Royal family
Harry’s book, Spare, is the latest in a string of very public pronouncements by the prince and his wife Meghan since they quit royal life and moved to California in 2020, citing what they saw as the media’s racist treatment of Meghan, who is biracial, and a lack of support from the palace. It follows an interview with Oprah Winfrey and a six-part Netflix documentary released last month.
Harry is not the first British royal to air family secrets — both his parents used the media as their marriage fell apart. Charles cooperated on Dimbleby’s 1994 book and accompanying television documentary, which revealed that the then heir to the throne had had an affair during his marriage to Princess Diana.
Diana gave her side of the story in a BBC interview the following year, famously saying “there were three of us in this marriage” about Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles.
But Spare goes into far more detail about private conversations and personal grievances than any previous royal revelation.
In the ghostwritten memoir, Prince Harry talks about his anguish at the death of his mother in 1997 and his suppressed yet enduring resentment at the role of being a royal “spare,” overshadowed by the “heir” — older brother Prince William. He recounts arguments and a physical altercation with William, revealed how he lost his virginity (in a field), and described the actual use of cocaine and cannabis.
He also says he killed 25 Taliban fighters while serving as an Apache helicopter pilot in Afghanistan — a claim criticized by both the Taliban and British military veterans.
Counter-attacks
Spare is due to be published around the world on Tuesday. The Associated Press obtained an early Spanish-language copy.
Prince Harry has said he expects counter-attacks from the palace. He has long complained of “leaks” and “plants” of stories to the media by members of the royal household.
In an interview due to be broadcast on ITV on Sunday — one of several he has recorded to promote the book — Prince Harry says people who accuse him of invading his family’s privacy “don’t understand or don’t want to believe that my family has been briefing the press.”
“I don’t know how staying silent is ever going to make things better,” Prince Harry said.