"Spare" memoir by the Duke of Sussex (2023)

[Curbside]

So, someone on Twitter is posting screenshots of a People Magazine article about the "baby brain" incident. The incident actually occurred over a phone call. It does not appear to have anything to do with the dress fitting incident.

Harry says Meghan apologized, and William told Meghan "Well its rude, Meghan. These things are not done here." And she responded "If you don't mind, keep your finger out of my face."

 

[Moran]

At this rate, I almost expect the Sussexes to release a sexual tape for their next mudslinging/healing love/happily ever after/let us show you how it's done screen project.

Honestly, his own sexual experiences? His awakening to sex? Has he borrowed ideas from Sarah, Duchess of York perhaps?

 

[SirGyamfi1]

I was just reading this. I am so embarrassed for Prince Harry that he's done this to himself. If a tabloid had published that story, I'd have called it malicious rubbish invented purely to embarrass him.

He's spent his whole life discussing press intrusion, and now he's putting his own early sexual experiences into the press and public sphere? Something is seriously wrong with him.

The media hasn’t needed to embarrass him because he provides that for free and without much effort on a silver platter, just like that. He has had worse moments than what you have mentioned.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

At this rate, I almost expect the Sussexes to release a sexual tape for their next mudslinging/healing love/happily ever after/let us show you how it's done screen project.

Honestly, his own sexual experiences? His awakening to sex? Has he borrowed ideas from Sarah, Duchess of York perhaps?

Even Sarah has a little bit more dignity than that and she was among the first of the core (now former member) of the BRF to engage in silly business deals. But what I can applaud her for is never having done what Harry has done here.

 

[_Heather_]

Goodness. There's an article currently on People's website about Harry's thoughts on William and Catherine's wedding day. While some of it does seem to just be a bit of nostalgia and acknowledging that life changes after marriage and that he'd miss some of their times as bachelor brothers, I can certainly see how it would be hurtful to William but to Catherine, in particular. If the years of stories are true, and we have no indication that they aren't, about how she so readily opened her home and heart to Harry, treated him as a younger brother, always kept the door and the refrigerator open for him, delighted in his time as Uncle Harry to a young Prince George, etc. hearing his thoughts about her wedding and marriage must be quite the blow.

 

[Mbruno]

I come to the conclusion that this ghost writer is purposely ridiculing him now. I am looking at the Guardian - and that is the English copy and well - there is no way you can dress this up. Is this book a reputation suicide bid? I wasn't expecting Shakespeare but this is supposed to be a polished book here.

He said it was "with an older lady, who loved horses very much and treated me like a young stallion".

The excerpt read: "'I mounted her quickly, after which she spanked my ass and held me back… one of my mistakes was letting it happen in a field, just behind a busy pub. No doubt someone had seen us'."

Seriously, did he need to tell that to the world in his memoir? Unbelievable!

And is he also claiming that he has been getting messages from his mother in the afterlife?

 

[Curbside]

He was the one making noise about not being able to wear his military outfit and the patronages (which were a gift from the Queen, btw). From the Sandringham summit, it was agreed that he would lose his honorary military honors and not get to wear it. You can’t have your cake and eat it. It’s passive aggressive because he was responding to reposts about the situation, just like they were being passive aggressive to BP about his “service is universal” statement.

Other than the official statement, when did he comment on this, and what did he say?

But here’s the thing, it’s not about YOU! It’s rude to say that to someone you don’t know that well who has just given birth.

Whether or not this is an insult is subjective. It's not about me, of course it isn't, but I do try to put myself in other people's shoes before I condemn their actions.

 

[Moran]

Goodness. There's an article currently on People's website about Harry's thoughts on William and Catherine's wedding day. While some of it does seem to just be a bit of nostalgia and acknowledging that life changes after marriage and that he'd miss some of their times as bachelor brothers, I can certainly see how it would be hurtful to William but to Catherine, in particular. If the years of stories are true, and we have no indication that they aren't, about how she so readily opened her home and heart to Harry, treated him as a younger brother, always kept the door and the refrigerator open for him, delighted in his time as Uncle Harry to a young Prince George, etc. hearing his thoughts about her wedding and marriage must be quite the blow.

Especially when it seems that everyone did their best to make him feel included, even to the extent of mentioning him in the official statements about William and Catherine's children's births. I thought it inappropriate then and I feel it even more inappropriate now, when his real thoughts are coming out from his own mouth. In the vein of Prince Let Me Tell You All About My Sexual Awakening, I must ask, did he participate in creating those children to merit a special mentioning apart from the two families?

 

[HRHHermione]

Especially when it seems that everyone did their best to make him feel included, even to the extent of mentioning him in the official statements about William and Catherine's children's births. I thought it inappropriate then and I feel it even more inappropriate now, when his real thoughts are coming out from his own mouth. In the vein of Prince Let Me Tell You All About My Sexual Awakening, I must ask, did he participate in creating those children to merit a special mentioning apart from the two families?

I had honestly forgotten about that. After I read this book, it will be very interesting to reevaluate stories from the last 10 years through that lens. I think we'll find a lot went into managing Harry's feelings.

 

[soapstar]

I was just reading this. I am so embarrassed for Prince Harry that he's done this to himself. If a tabloid had published that story, I'd have called it malicious rubbish invented purely to embarrass him.

He's spent his whole life discussing press intrusion, and now he's putting his own early sexual experiences into the press and public sphere? Something is seriously wrong with him.

Not to mention he’s also putting this woman’s business in the streets because people are now speculating and trying to figure out who she is.

He seriously should have just kept this story to himself.

 

[Claire]

Weird comment about Harry driving through the Paris tunnel at speed to understand Diana's death.

On page 190 of his book, the Duke of Sussex wrote: "Especially the summary conclusion, that our mother's driver was drunk and, as a result, that was the only cause of the accident. It was simplistic and absurd.

"Even if the man had been drinking, even if he had been drunk, he wouldn't have had any problem driving through such a short tunnel. Unless paparazzi were following him and dazzled him.

okay - Harry seems to forget that Henri Paul was not sober when he entered the tunnel. He had been driving drunk and therefore impaired and at speed for a while on the Paris roads before entering the tunnel. To say that a Drunk person could navigate the tunnel at speed - is reckless. We have no idea of the other factors - like what the people in the car were telling him to do, how impaired was his judgement at this point. We simply cannot say - which is why it was declared an accident.

 

[Mbruno]

I had honestly forgotten about that. After I read this book, it will be very interesting to reevaluate stories from the last 10 years through that lens. I think we'll find a lot went into managing Harry's feelings.

In addition to reminiscing about his early sex life, the Mail is now also publishing Harry's recollections about his early experiences with drugs at the age of 17.

Looking at the big picture, maybe it's part of a broader narrative in the book of how lost he was until Meghan showed up in his life and rescued him. But it's impossible to tell without reading the memoir in full.

 

[Alison H]

The young stallion/spanked my ass thing sounds like a scene from a Jilly Cooper book. It's just cringeworthy. And saying publicly that he "took out" 25 Taleban fighters doesn't seem the wisest of things to do.

 

[Kaye1850]

I come to the conclusion that this ghost writer is purposely ridiculing him now. I am looking at the Guardian - ……"

I came to the same conclusion reading The Cut’s interview of Meghan by Allison P. Davis - is it possible people working closely with the Sussexes see through them?

What surprises me is that Meghan let these things pass in the editing process.

 

[Claire]

The young stallion/spanked my ass thing sounds like a scene from a Jilly Cooper book. It's just cringeworthy. And saying publicly that he "took out" 25 Talaban fighters doesn't seem the wisest of things to do.

Yep - and this got through editors and a ghostwriter through this was a good piece to include to show character?

The best part is about the knocking 25 pieces off a chess board. It doesn't beat my favorite Sussex mixed up metaphor which is Megan's guiding compass pointing to the North Star. Now that is one messed up compass.

 

[Curbside]

Yep - and this got through editors and a ghostwriter through this was a good piece to include to show character?

The best part is about the knocking 25 pieces off a chess board. It doesn't beat my favorite Sussex mixed up metaphor which is Megan's guiding compass pointing to the North Star. Now that is one messed up compass.

But he also said he wasn't ashamed, and he wasn't proud, either. He was at war against the Taliban. He did his job.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Other than the official statement, when did he comment on this, and what did he say?



Whether or not this is an insult is subjective. It's not about me, of course it isn't, but I do try to put myself in other people's shoes before I condemn their actions.

We can condemn their actions because they are consistent at throw digs and jabs at their families and they have been doing this for more than 2 years now. How are YOU putting yourself in Kate’s shoes? You think that it was acceptable to say that to a woman who just gave birth? You are saying that it is subjective from point of view of a woman (Meghan) who didn’t have kids till her second marriage is saying to another woman (Kate), who has been a mother much longer than she has and had a longer term relationship with her spouse prior to marriage and had just given birth at that time of the argument? That’s not something you can joke about or laugh at. It’s dismissive of someone’s intelligence in an argument and she didn’t know Kate well enough to say that.

 

[Lori138]

“Baby brain” is a term meant to be humorous and I have heard it countless times in the past two decades—my own childbearing years. It feels like Meghan assumed a more laid-back relationship with Kate, but like the hug story from the docuseries, maybe Brits are more sensitive to these things.

I personally do not find that comment to be humorous and would also have been upset if someone had said that to me during the post partum stage.

 

[Hallo girl]

But he also said he wasn't ashamed, and he wasn't proud, either. He was at war against the Taliban. He did his job.

Nobody is denying that but Harry is the one who is claiming he needs security because of his background, plus his service in Afghanistan.

You do not go on record saying how many people you killed. The Taliban are still there, this just shows how immature he is.

 

[Sunnystar]

All of these snippets that are coming out fast and furious now have me tempted to buy this book and read it, which is not something I usually do for the Sussexes. Mind-blowing, really - all of it.

 

[Curbside]

I personally do not find that comment to be humorous and would also have been upset if someone had said that to me during the post partum stage.

Would you then put your finger in someone's face to make this point?

 

[Hallo girl]

All of these snippets that are coming out fast and furious now have me tempted to buy this book and read it, which is not something I usually do for the Sussexes. Mind-blowing, really - all of it.

clever marketing, I am the same because I want to read all these things in context.

 

[Lori138]

I don’t recall him complaining about not wearing his uniform. I just googled and couldn’t find such a statement from him.

Just because you couldn't find it, does not mean it didn't happen. Search terms could be the reason for that.

 

[Magali]

I’m starting to think that this book could become for Harry what the BBC interview was for prince Andrew…

 

[Muhler]

This book is a PR disaster. - For H&M.

So far I've learned about cocaine, the uniform episode, the baby-brain episode, King Charles urging the brothers to make peace and William punching Harry. As well as the Taliban kills.
(It's difficult to keep up!)
If the purpose of this is to discredit W&K in particular, then I believe they have seriously miscalculated.
This will IMO not diminish W&K in the eyes, of mainly the British, readers. On the contrary in fact. I think they are more likely to rally even more around the BRF.
And if the purpose is to "humanize" Harry in particular to in international audience, that too is bound to fail IMO. What we have learned so far, as well as the extremely open account is hardly something that endears H&M to the average reader.
Apart from those who are ardent admirers of H&M, this is not something that will impress a lot of people. At best people will find the book deliciously juicy.

There is almost nothing left now. What will he write about in his next book or say that could top this? A detailed account of his sex-life with previous girlfriends?

As for referring to the Taliban killed as "chess pieces" - Okay, that can be a coping mechanism, fair enough.
However, it is most unusual that you hear a combat veteran being so open about this to outsiders.
Anyway 25 killed sounds to me like a battlefield estimate, rather than confirmed and counted killed.

I still can't see where H&M are going. I wonder if they know themselves.

 

[Prinsara]

What will he write about in his next book or say that could top this? A detailed account of his sex-life with previous girlfriends?

Did you miss that bit?

 

[Muhler]

Did you miss that bit?

Please tell me you are joking.

 

[Mbruno]

This book is a PR disaster. - For H&M.

So far I've learned about cocaine, the uniform episode, the baby-brain episode, King Charles urging the brothers to make peace and William punching Harry. As well as the Taliban kills.
(It's difficult to keep up!)

You missed his first time "with an older woman who loved horses" (very graphically detailed by the way) and talking to his mother through a medium.

Also, I believe he didn't say William "punched" him, but rather that he grabbed him by the collar (breaking his neckace) and pushed him onto the floor. He said his injuries were on his back and resulted from a dog bowl that broke as he fell on it. He didn't report any bruises that would be consistent with William punching or hitting him.

 

[Saragli]

Harry seems to be unable to accept that things are out of his control - unable to accept that a drunk and speeding driver could crash the car they are driving, unable to accept that his father has the right to marry who he wants, unable to accept that his family, friends, staff may have their own opinions on his wife, unable to accept that he is not heir to the throne, and unable to accept that perhaps not everything is about him.

Harry could have easily written a very interesting book about being the spare with deep insight and balance. Instead, being an angry person who appears prone to some levels of paranoia, he has chosen to break the bonds of family and spill intimate moments and resort to mudslinging. At the end of the day, there is no need for what he is doing and the harm he is doing to his family, he got his very well to do life in California, his gorgeous wife, and is still included in royal family events. He has so much and its still not enough.

 

[Claire]

The leak might actually have the reverse effect as well - after the leaks which appear to be just what we have seen now - nothing really new or explosive. And the three interviews about how jealous William about him and Meghan. People might cancel their preorder or simply not show up to take it.
I wonder if they learnt their lesson from the Bench when preordering was high - some people brought the book only to have it returned later. There was a warehouse in the US that destroyed thousands of the Bench (preordered - and returned before they left Amazon) Very wasteful - but it pushes the book to the top of the Sunday Times Bestseller list - which really needs to take this stat into consideration now.