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

[Alison H]

Or to quote HM, "recollections may vary"!

It’d be interesting to know how many accounts of events didn’t make the book due to recollections “varying”!

 

[Kataryn]

No one is cherry picking anything, the Sussexes have a tendency to say and do controversial things and which pre conceived notions and long held prejudices are you speaking of? If the Sussexes didn’t do the controversial and unpredictable things they have done previously no one would be so quick to criticize them.

The British media? I personally had the feeling that they were against "the American divorcée" as soon as Meghan appeared on the scene. It was their relentless hunt for negative headlines that discouraged Meghan to look for a future in the UK. Plus the willingness of Royal staff to talk about her (and to her negatively, I'm convinced).


And yes, I know there are always two sides to each story but having followed the media about H&M, I am sure I would have gone overseas to be spared all that, too! But we must agree to disagree here, because we have different views on that situation. Two sides, you know.

 

[Alison H]

Yes, there were some negative stories about her, but no more so than about "Waity Katie" or any other new royal spouse. The media came up with terms like "Fab Four" and "Famous Four" to describe the Cambridges and the Sussexes, and were generally very positive about Meghan. However, since leaving, the Sussexes have done nothing but make negative comments about the Royal Family, some of which have been blatant lies, and it sounds as if this book is going to be another load of negativity and criticism. I wish that they would just move on with their lives, but they don't seem to want to do that.

 

[Hallo girl]

The British media? I personally had the feeling that they were against "the American divorcée" as soon as Meghan appeared on the scene. It was their relentless hunt for negative headlines that discouraged Meghan to look for a future in the UK. Plus the willingness of Royal staff to talk about her (and to her negatively, I'm convinced).


And yes, I know there are always two sides to each story but having followed the media about H&M, I am sure I would have gone overseas to be spared all that, too! But we must agree to disagree here, because we have different views on that situation. Two sides, you know.

You are correct there are always two sides to a story and the truth is we do not know the accuracy of either side.
We do not know how Meghan spoke to staff, or how they treated her. We do not know for sure if staff leaked things.
What we do know is that certain things were said in the Oprah interview , that were incorrect or misrepresented.
We know that they assisted Omid Scobie after denying it.
I think the posters that have concerns with the book are wondering how accurate the story will be, to be honest even if everything is 100% accurate , without clear evidence people might doubt them because of their track record.

 

[Marengo]

Ahead of the release of his new memoire, the Duke of Sussex will be interviewed by Anderson Cooper on January 8th.

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-...anderson-cooper-interview-spare-b2254547.html

A trailer has been released:

 

[FigTree]

Ahead of the release of his new memoire, the Duke of Sussex will be interviewed by Anderson Cooper on January 8th.

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-...anderson-cooper-interview-spare-b2254547.html

A trailer has been released:

I hear this guys a big deal on that side of the Atlantic. Same day is rumoured to see broadcast of Tom Bradby interview in ITV.

I don’t know how I feel about this book. I wouldn’t read it and don’t know if I can bare to listen to Harry read it.

You know the newspapers will have live blog updates with some poor unfortunate journalists sitting there reading it all day. And then. Nothing. Royals prObably won’t respond and that will be it.

 

[Denville]

Of course the RF wont respond, so it makes you wonder why Harry is writing this book. He must know that his family do not get into he said/she said debates with anyone.

 

[Claire]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I (and many others) expect Harry to break down emotionally on the interview - crying - saying that he misses his dad and brother. And that the institution is keeping them apart - like they destroyed his relationship with the Queen.
Then I expect BP to have a reunion issue within a few weeks. Harry and Meghan will be back in the family fold within the year. Operation Prodigal Son is under way - and yes I sound like a conspiracy theorist. But many in London are telling me Harry got what he wanted at the funeral. They will be back doing engagements for Charles in the UK within the year.

of course - I could be completely wrong.

 

[Denville]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I (and many others) expect Harry to break down emotionally on the interview - crying - saying that he misses his dad and brother. And that the institution is keeping them apart - like they destroyed his relationship with the Queen.
Then I expect BP to have a reunion issue within a few weeks. Harry and Meghan will be back in the family fold within the year. Operation Prodigal Son is under way - and yes I sound like a conspiracy theorist. But many in London are telling me Harry got what he wanted at the funeral. They will be back doing engagements for Charles in the UK within the year.

of course - I could be completely wrong.

why on earth do you think that Harry and Meghan want to leave the US? Or that even if they did, Charles and hte Brit public would want them back doing royal duties when they walked out only 2 years ago,
Sorry but I think it is obvious that Meghan will never want to come back and if she's in the US Harry will be there too. I think he is rather happier, in any case, making his own money, than havign to do boring engagements at the behest of the Royal household. and even if he DID want to come back, he and Meg are so unpopular, Charles would never put them back to work again as the public would not want them.

 

[Claire]

Many people suspect they have been given the half in and half out request they wanted.
Cant delete previous post - as it was quoted. So let me add to it . I expect a full crying breakdown about not having the previous relationship with Charles and William. I also expect the words - They left me with no other option but to do the Netflix show, Oprah show and the book or the family needed to understand my experience.

 

[Mbruno]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I (and many others) expect Harry to break down emotionally on the interview - crying - saying that he misses his dad and brother. And that the institution is keeping them apart - like they destroyed his relationship with the Queen.
Then I expect BP to have a reunion issue within a few weeks. Harry and Meghan will be back in the family fold within the year. Operation Prodigal Son is under way - and yes I sound like a conspiracy theorist. But many in London are telling me Harry got what he wanted at the funeral. They will be back doing engagements for Charles in the UK within the year.

of course - I could be completely wrong.

Although some TRF members disagree, Harry and Meghan are probably financially independent now with their media deals and their production company. So money won't be an issue in any decision to go back or not.

Second, I can't see Meghan ever living full time in the UK as she clearly wants to live in North America. Half-in, half-out wasn't acceptable before, and I don't see any reason why it would be acceptable now. Any arrangement along those lines is a non-starter then in my opinion.

Third, we still have to see what will come up in Spare, but, following Harry and Meghan's attacks on William and Kate in the Netflix docuseries, I can't possibly see the Sussexes being brought back into the fold.

I assume Harry must have several lined-up interviews in the coming weeks to promote his memoir. It will be interesting to see if he will retract from some of the more inflammatory comments made in the docuseries or if he will on the contrary double down.

 

[Denville]

I actually wanted to remove post - which I will. But many people suspect they have been given the half in and half out request they wanted.

Sorry but that is just not going to happen. Charles and the queen refused the half in half out thing in 2020, because it was not workable. Everyone knew that except Harry and Meghan, that one cant do half in and half out. now they have been rude and unpleasant about the RF for the past 2 years, why on earth would they suddenly be given this arrangment which was considered completly out of the question 2 years ago?

 

[Alisa]

I think this book will completely sever whatever ties Harry and Meghan have with the royal family.

This book must be good. It must contain new information and new revelations. If not, why write it? To re-has old information. That's definitely not going to sell.

I think this book will completely sever whatever ties Harry and Meghan have with the royal family.

It'll be the [last ] straw that broke the camel's back.

 

[Heavs]

Many people suspect they have been given the half in and half out request they wanted.
Cant delete previous post - as it was quoted. So let me add to it . I expect a full crying breakdown about not having the previous relationship with Charles and William. I also expect the words - They left me with no other option but to do the Netflix show, Oprah show and the book or the family needed to understand my experience.

In the ever unfolding saga that is the BRF anything is possible but I don't see why Charles would agree to HIHO unless something significant changes. Yes Harry is his beloved son by it was said that HLM let Charles and William lead the charge at the Sandringham summit because they were the ones who were going to be forced to live with it.

Besides, all Harry and Meghan have proved over the last two years is that they simply *don't want* to be team players. Under Any circumstances.

 

[Denville]

In the ever unfolding saga that is the BRF anything is possible but I don't see why Charles would agree to HIHO unless something significant changes. Yes Harry is his beloved son by it was said that HLM let Charles and William lead the charge at the Sandringham summit because they were the ones who were going to be forced to live with it.

Besides, all Harry and Meghan have proved over the last two years is that they simply *don't want* to be team players. Under Any circumstances.

IMO, they always had their eye on the US, and if they had been allowed some kind of HIHO, it would have ended as 80% US and money making and perhaps dabbling in politics and 20% working for the RF. but it was never going to happen, and probalby they have accepted that now and certainly dont want to return to the UK nor to doing tedious royal duties. Besides, the public would not want it.

 

[TLLK]

In the ever unfolding saga that is the BRF anything is possible but I don't see why Charles would agree to HIHO unless something significant changes. Yes Harry is his beloved son by it was said that HLM let Charles and William lead the charge at the Sandringham summit because they were the ones who were going to be forced to live with it.

Besides, all Harry and Meghan have proved over the last two years is that they simply *don't want* to be team players. Under Any circumstances.

I don't see the couple returning to any form of HIHO. Now if it was Harry only, that might be considered. However I do not see Meghan wanting to return to live in the UK at all. They didn't want to work with the team the first time afterall.

I think this book will completely sever whatever ties Harry and Meghan have with the royal family.

This book must be good. It must contain new information and new revelations. If not, why write it? To re-has old information. That's definitely not going to sell.

I think this book will completely sever whatever ties Harry and Meghan have with the royal family.

It'll be the [last ] straw that broke the camel's back.

Sadly I agree with your predictions. As for any new revelations unless they have held onto all of the revelations until the release of Spare, there's probably not too much to share. Afterall they've been "revealing" since Finding Freedom.

 

[Hallo girl]

Maybe the HIHO could be invitations to Royal Events e.g Trooping the Colour, Ascot , The Coronation. Garter events. Possibly a few weeks in the Summer to attend these, but not actually doing public duties. Or possibly just private holiday visits.

The problem as I see it is that the couple obviously record and photograph situations and we suspect re enacting situations for film. The bottom line is trust. I also think the public are fed up with them.

The biggest thing IMO is that they have sneered at the family and in particular the late Queen, have you noticed they appear to have an obsession with drinking tea out of china cups or pretending to do that.

Harry appears to have an issue that William or his team have briefed against him, we might see evidence of that in the book, but what is he doing now but speaking openly against his brother.

It is balancing act, the King has to weigh up public opinion with his love for his son. He cannot be seen to be weak. Time will tell.

 

[Mirabel]

Although I hope not, I suspect Claire might be correct.
The Sussexes need to fund that very expensive California lifestyle, and how are they to continue to do so once all interest in their royal memoirs has diminished?

They'll need to be subsidized in some way.
William may be prepared to be implacable, but Charles may cave.

 

[Denville]

no he wont. the public do not want Harry and Meghan back, and IMO neither M nor H want to leave California.

Maybe the HIHO could be invitations to Royal Events e.g Trooping the Colour, Ascot , The Coronation. Garter events. Possibly a few weeks in the Summer to attend these, but not actually doing public duties. Or possibly just private holiday visits.


It is balancing act, the King has to weigh up public opinion with his love for his son. He cannot be seen to be weak. Time will tell.

That woudl not be half in half out. It would just be 2 relatives returning to Harry's family for a few weeks for a semi private visit. HIHO was meant to be working part time as royals and part time as private people

 

[Granada]

Oh gosh Claire, I hope your sources are wrong.
I don't see how Charles could possibly get the British People to go along with them being even part time "Working" Royals".
Not after slamming the Brits as Racists, equating Brexit with ALL that, and slamming the Commonwealth as Empire 2.O.....Ugly insinuations of Colonialism were made in the series commentary as well as immigration undertones as a unspoken catalyst for Brexit.

Personally, I don't see any way back as a Couple. After ALL the complaints and allegations they made AGAINST "The Institution" ??? Come back for even a few working engagements??? How could that possibly work ? It wouldn't.
Not only for most of the working Firm members, but the Palace Staff of Charles and William who have been relentlessly attacked too.

Nor, do I think they would want to. Harry, on *some* level maybe. The loss of the Military Patronages i feel still galls him.
Meghan noooo way. I think Harry feels his new life is in America, as always, he plays the Diana Card and imagines (like him now) that She would have wound up in California. He actually said that in the docu-series.

But that ship has sailed so to speak. Too much has happened, bridges blown up with incessant complaints, allegations and downright lies to believe that could ever happen.

What I find so very interesting in the different Media commentary I'm reading, is about what *might* be in Spare, is that the target is William now, not Charles.
Did a revision happen AFTER The Queen died and Charles became the Monarch ? So a 'toning down' of grievances against him was done and by extension Camilla, as they are the ones with the power now. Just like before the Queen was spared direct hits and aim was taken at Charles in the Oprah Interview. How calculating if true.

Sadly, I have also read that if Camilla is a target, that Charles will feel a red line has been crossed and not forgive Harry. But what if his SON and Heir is attacked ? The insinuation was that that despicable act would be more palatable to Charles.
I found that so upsetting.

 

[soapstar]

Two new interview clips have been released. One from ITV and the other from 60 minutes. In the new clips, Harry once again accuses the family of leaking against him and Meghan. He also says the family’s silence is betrayal, says the family would rather keep them as villains and claims he would like to have his brother and father back, but they haven’t reached out to apologize, or reconcile.

 

[Hallo girl]

That woudl not be half in half out. It would just be 2 relatives returning to Harry's family for a few weeks for a semi private visit. HIHO was meant to be working part time as royals and part time as private people

The problem was the private people needed to earn money. I just wondered if any rumours about returning as HIHO was actually different to what we all assumed HIHO meant or at least a different meaning this time.

 

[Denville]

The problem was the private people needed to earn money. I just wondered if any rumours about returning as HIHO was actually different to what we all assumed HIHO meant or at least a different meaning this time.

sorry but Im not sure what you are saying. HIHO meant doing some royal duties, and spending the rest of the time making money. Harry thought that he would have security paid for as a working royal, and a free house etc,to live in and he' would alos be able to spend a lot of time in the US making a fortune. If he and Meg were to come back for a few weeks and go to Trooping, they woudl not be paid for these appearances and would not be making any money.

 

[HighGoalHighDreams]

I consider myself pretty ears to the ground on the rumblings surrounding the family, and I haven't heard a whisper of Harry or Meghan "getting what they want" or anything similar.

I think in whatever quarters such murmurings may have existed, these clips just put paid to that.

 

[FigTree]

What an interesting way to go about reconciling with your family. Slate them on Oprah, Netflix and in a book (I’m presuming) and then give interviews about how they leak about you, refuse to reconcile and say you want them back.

Now let’s be 300% honest what would you be thinking if this was a celebrity who did this to a family or an ex partner? I know what I would think and it would be all empathy towards a person who I didn’t think was that healthy.

 

[SOS]

HIHO is not possible if they keep selling themselves as a product. It will only work if they serve a higher goal that align with the British interests.

 

[FigTree]

HIHO is not possible if they keep selling themselves as a product. It will only work if they serve a higher goal that align with the British interests.

They need money.

 

[Hallo girl]

sorry but Im not sure what you are saying. HIHO meant doing some royal duties, and spending the rest of the time making money. Harry thought that he would have security paid for as a working royal, and a free house etc,to live in and he' would alos be able to spend a lot of time in the US making a fortune. If he and Meg were to come back for a few weeks and go to Trooping, they woudl not be paid for these appearances and would not be making any money.

As usual I think out loud, I just wondered if any rumour of HIHO was becoming muddled with a compromise but still being referred to on forums as HIHO. I know what they wanted originally and I am not suggesting the King has agreed to that. The couple need exposure to the RF for their brand. Possibly a few weeks holiday during May and June when the prime royal events happen. Having said all that the reception they received from other family members on the steps of St Pauls would suggest they might not be welcome within the family.
I doubt William and Kate will welcome them with open arms.
I do not think the public would welcome them back and I doubt some of the family, but maybe the King wants to keep the door open for his son.

 

[Denville]

HIHO was never possible. THe queen allowed it on a smaller scale wiht Ed and Sophie and it did not work out, and Harry was told probably pretty sharply in Jan 2020 that he would not be allowed to have that set up. And he instantly shot off to Canada, because he wanted to be free to make money, and to be in N America, the USA for preference. When Canada then said they would not pay his security indefinitely, he and Meg sped to LA which ws always IMO their eventual goal.

 

[Granada]

But if Harry and Meghan are welcomed back for things such as Trooping The Color, Ascot and Events like The Garter Ceremonies THAT would be a huge win for the Sussex's.
Public exposure as Royal Family Members participating in bread and butter "Pomp and Circumstance" Events would be gold to them. Much more beneficial to their "Brand" then in their eyes a dreary "work" event a few times a year. Surely the Firm and Courtiers know that.

Personally, I'd love for some Interviewer to ask Harry about the definition of a Spare. It happens in all walks of life, from Work life to Monarchy, to the Aristocracy. From a VP being Spare to The President, to Princess Charlotte being Spare to future King George. That's life. Not always or usually fair either.
Also, does our perpetually aggrieved Duke Of Sussex even realize that IF his second born child had been a son, HE would have been "The Spare" to future (in theory) Duke Archie of Sussex ????

Love to get his take on that.
Hopefully, Anderson Cooper will have been better prepared and informed in his interview with Harry, than Oprah was. Anderson is a journalist, so I hope it isn't a glorified infomercial for The Sussex's.