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

[Sunnystar]

Harry's version of asking the Queen for permission to marry: https://archive.ph/DgKC3

The more that's revealed, the clearer it becomes that Harry paid absolutely no attention to anything going on around him in his own family. He appears to have been completely oblivious growing up to his father, his brother, his cousins (Peter & Zara) having to ask for permission to marry to remain in the line of succession.

 

[Magnolia471]

I don't see anything wrong with that exchange of messages. What are Harry and Meghan trying to prove with this screenshots?
Kate expressed concern for her daughter and even mentioned that Charlotte cried at home. Meghan doesn't even worry about future niece in law in this conversation, she straight out became passive aggressive.
Kate was more experienced and a mother, why Meghan didn't simply take an advise from her and move on to other things? It was her wedding but it wasn't her child that had to wear that ill-fitting dress and walking around for hours with no tights on.

 

[Mbruno]

Harry's version of asking the Queen for permission to marry: https://archive.ph/DgKC3

I am surprised that Harry didn't know he had to ask the Queen's consent to marry and asked his aides if that was a "real rule".

 

[Leopoldine]

I can't imagine Stephen Colbert conducting a serious interview with H.

Stephen was a child when he lost members of his family in a plane crash. He's a smart guy. He may not like being "chosen" because of his family history and the solidarity the Sussexes assume he must have with Harry.

 

[Moran]

Who on earth doesn't quarrel with their family from time to tome? Who on earth keeps screenshots of the exchanges so they can look at them and marinate in their own rightness? I suppose, someone who was already committed to claim a victim status.

I didn't see anything wrong with the exchange on Catherine's side at all. Meghan's... not so much. And to crown it all, the dresses were all ill-fitting, so Meghan and her oh so experienced team of French couture ladies (how long did you think it took to teach Harry the phrase? Manly men, the lads can't say Givenchi from Dior with their lives on the line.) would have done better to remake them indeed. So it was Harry who found his poor fiancee in tears? Not Catherine? Why, then, did Meghan make it sound like everything happened right in front of Catherine who saw her tears and "owned it", making it sound as if it was a crime?

When are Meghan and Harry going to own it that they scheduled their wedding for a time when Catherine and Zara would be as inconvenienced as possible? With Zara, it was evident.

Overall, the exchange striked me as completely bland and a non-issue. The fact that it was preserved and published is the issue here, IMO.

 

[Curryong]

Royal weddings are held at times when senior members of the Royal Family are not travelling abroad and have no official engagements on that day.

Diaries are compared months beforehand after the engagement has been announced and the date is NOT chosen by the bride and groom off their own bat, but after consultations with all the royals involved (and that doesn’t include Zara, who turned up to support her cousin. She wasn’t forced to) and Court officials.

The idea that Harry and Meghan specifically chose a day in order to inconvenience anyone is completely incorrect.

 

[Moran]

I didn't say a day. I said a time. They could have chosen a time when neither woman was either at the end of pregnancy nor a new mother or possibly still pregnant as well.

But then, to some posters here the idea that Meghan specifically chose to wear her coat in a way that created the illusion of a pregnant stomach when she clearly didn't have one yet is completely incorrect as well. Meghan couldn't possibly do anything to take away the limelight and the press attention from Eugenie who was never at the centre of attention as much as Harry.

 

[chelly]

Who on earth doesn't quarrel with their family from time to tome? Who on earth keeps screenshots of the exchanges so they can look at them and marinate in their own rightness? I suppose, someone who was already committed to claim a victim status.

I didn't see anything wrong with the exchange on Catherine's side at all. Meghan's... not so much. And to crown it all, the dresses were all ill-fitting, so Meghan and her oh so experienced team of French couture ladies (how long did you think it took to teach Harry the phrase? Manly men, the lads can't say Givenchi from Dior with their lives on the line.) So it was Harry who found his poor fiancee in tears? Not Catherine? Why, then, did Meghan make it sound like everything happened right in front of Catherine who saw her tears and "owned it", making it sound as if it was a crime?

When are Meghan and Harry going to own it that they scheduled their wedding for a time when Catherine and Zara would be as inconvenienced as possible? With Zara, it was evident.

Overall, the exchange striked me as completely bland and a non-issue. The fact that it was preserved and published is the issue here, IMO.

Not sure if people knew zara was pregnant yet when everything was planned. From what I can tell (google ) Zara announced her pregnancy in jan 2018. I don't think the Palace is going to stop everything and replan stuff because someone would be pregnant. And Kate had Louie in April. The engagement and the possible date was announced in November.

 

[Curbside]

Screenshots live forever. My guess is that Meghan made sure that conversation was saved.

The screenshots in the Daily Mail are “re-creations.”

 

[Toledo]

I'm checking the USA Amazon/audible section and the audiobook for Spare says it was read by the author. 15 hours and 39 minutes, so Harry can't blame anything on the editing since he's reading off the book that the ? ghost writer helped him compile.

Sorry Harry, if it comes out of your mouth then you own it.

 

[TLLK]

Nothing says good intentions like making screenshots of tense conversations with your future in-laws so you can always revisit them and remind yourself how hard done you were.

Sad to see that Catherine who like William and Harry had their phones hacked and private voice-mail conversations made public in an effort to make money, again has a private conversation revealed in an effort to make money. To have it done by family members must make it even more painful.

 

[Curbside]

Sad to see that Catherine who like William and Harry had their phones hacked and private voice-mail conversations made public in an effort to make money, again has a private conversation revealed in an effort to make money. To have it done by family members must make it even more painful.

The DM fabricated those screenshots.

 

[TLLK]

The DM fabricated those screenshots.

Cubside-The format doesn't matter. What is wrong is that the Sussexes chose to share a private conversation without the consent of the other party in an effort to make money through the sale of Spare. Harry had already been through a similar experience when his phone like his brother's and sister-in-law's were hacked and his private voice-mail was accessed without his consent in an effort to make money.

 

[Curryong]

I didn't say a day. I said a time. They could have chosen a time when neither woman was either at the end of pregnancy nor a new mother or possibly still pregnant as well.

But then, to some posters here the idea that Meghan specifically chose to wear her coat in a way that created the illusion of a pregnant stomach when she clearly didn't have one yet is completely incorrect as well. Meghan couldn't possibly do anything to take away the limelight and the press attention from Eugenie who was never at the centre of attention as much as Harry.

There are very very few times of the year when no senior members of the BRF have absolutely no engagements at all, unless cutting into the then Queen’s summer holidays at Balmoral would be considered acceptable and it apparently wasn’t.

As for Meghan’s coat I never took any notice of how it was buttoned (or not.) Nor did anybody I know.

I did see that anti Meghan Twitter and Tumblr sites leap on to that afterwards though and deliberately make two and two make five.

Social media and various media people parroted those sentiments as well, but it doesn’t appear that either Eugenie or her mother (who was in invited to H+M’s wedding) agreed though, as Eugenie and Harry and Meghan remain close and Sarah has said several sympathetic things about the Sussexes’ treatment by the media for example in her interviews.

 

[Toledo]

Sad to see that Catherine who like William and Harry had their phones hacked and private voice-mail conversations made public in an effort to make money, again has a private conversation revealed in an effort to make money. To have it done by family members must make it even more painful.

I don't think there's a way out for the Sussex duo to be forgiven by William and Kate. They both dragged the princes of Wales through the mud and then some and turned them into part of their reality show, too.

King Charles, on the other hand, will act like a father and always forgive his son if he ever apologizes while he is alive. I hope he lives long enough to see that moment happen because, as a parent, what could hurt the most but being attacked by your own child on how his life turned out.

And the bad part is Harry acknowledges no responsibility of his own, he's over and over again a victim of his circumstances. Last time I checked Princess Diana had two kids, and the other one was strong enough to control his anger on her death and with the help of his wife look toward the positive side of life.

 

[Asteria12]

It must be an incredibly sad and difficult time for HM, to be having to deal with this on top of everything else. Who knows whether Harry will ever truly come to recognise the damage he has done to his reputation and that of his wife.



Hi everyone, long time reader, first time poster! I have a question that I hope doesn't seem too silly/obvious. Is there any possibility that J.R. Moehringer might have the opportunity to discuss his own involvement with Spare?

 

[HRHHermione]

It must be an incredibly sad and difficult time for HM, to be having to deal with this on top of everything else. Who knows whether Harry will ever truly come to recognise the damage he has done to his reputation and that of his wife.



Hi everyone, long time reader, first time poster! I have a question that I hope doesn't seem too silly/obvious. Is there any possibility that J.R. Moehringer might have the opportunity to discuss his own involvement with Spare?

Welcome! That is a very interesting question and one I’ve been wondering myself. I think it will depend heavily on the terms of his contract. He was able to do so with past work but whether he can with this one remains to be seen.

 

[Springbee]

There are very very few times of the year when no senior members of the BRF have absolutely no engagements at all, unless cutting into the then Queen’s summer holidays at Balmoral would be considered acceptable and it apparently wasn’t.

As for Meghan’s coat I never took any notice of how it was buttoned (or not.) Nor did anybody I know.

I did see that anti Meghan Twitter and Tumblr sites leap on to that afterwards though and deliberately make two and two make five.

Social media and various media people parroted those sentiments as well, but it doesn’t appear that either Eugenie or her mother (who was in invited to H+M’s wedding) agreed though, as Eugenie and Harry and Meghan remain close and Sarah has said several sympathetic things about the Sussexes’ treatment by the media for example in her interviews.

You might not have noticed but the group of friends who watched the wedding with me did. We all thought it wasn't a nice thing to do.

 

[Asteria12]

Welcome! That is a very interesting question and one I’ve been wondering myself. I think it will depend heavily on the terms of his contract. He was able to do so with past work but whether he can with this one remains to be seen.

HRHHermione, thank you!


I would think a writer of his standing could potentially suffer some professional embarrassment should the book prove less than stellar. Certainly, the unofficial excerpts have not come across as very well written, although that could be the editing for drama by the press. I am unfamiliar with the contractual side of the world of writing/publishing though, hence my question. As you say, it remains to be seen!

 

[Erin9]

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

I am surprised that Harry didn't know he had to ask the Queen's consent to marry and asked his aides if that was a "real rule".

That blew my mind.

 

[VictoriaB]

HRHHermione, thank you!


I would think a writer of his standing could potentially suffer some professional embarrassment should the book prove less than stellar. Certainly, the unofficial excerpts have not come across as very well written, although that could be the editing for drama by the press. I am unfamiliar with the contractual side of the world of writing/publishing though, hence my question. As you say, it remains to be seen!

I think it’s not possible to say how well or badly written it is unless you read the actual book rather than the excerpts that have been printed. For one thing we have seen very few complete sentences from the book, most of it seems to be paraphrasing by the media and, as you say, done for dramatic effect. The other point is that many of the extracts we have seen come from the Spanish version and printed in the English speaking press so the translation may or may not be stellar. Even native Spanish speakers might translate in a different style to how the book is written in English.

I won’t be reading it but will be interested to see how the writing is treated. certainly the ghostwriter comes highly recommended. I posted a link to the review from the Times above and the reviewer comments that the writer can congratulate himself on a job well done. Whether that relates to the entire book or just the particular and effective passage the reviewer is commenting on, I’m not sure.

BTW, welcome and thanks for your thoughtful question.

 

[Erin9]

I don't see anything wrong with that exchange of messages. What are Harry and Meghan trying to prove with this screenshots?

Kate expressed concern for her daughter and even mentioned that Charlotte cried at home. Meghan doesn't even worry about future niece in law in this conversation, she straight out became passive aggressive.

Kate was more experienced and a mother, why Meghan didn't simply take an advise from her and move on to other things? It was her wedding but it wasn't her child that had to wear that ill-fitting dress and walking around for hours with no tights on.

I don’t either. I do have an issue with the Sussexes inability to move on.

The racism issue with the media was and is a big deal. This, frankly, is not. But the Sussexes have made it one.

 

[Erin9]

Who on earth doesn't quarrel with their family from time to tome? Who on earth keeps screenshots of the exchanges so they can look at them and marinate in their own rightness? I suppose, someone who was already committed to claim a victim status.

I didn't see anything wrong with the exchange on Catherine's side at all. Meghan's... not so much. And to crown it all, the dresses were all ill-fitting, so Meghan and her oh so experienced team of French couture ladies (how long did you think it took to teach Harry the phrase? Manly men, the lads can't say Givenchi from Dior with their lives on the line.) So it was Harry who found his poor fiancee in tears? Not Catherine? Why, then, did Meghan make it sound like everything happened right in front of Catherine who saw her tears and "owned it", making it sound as if it was a crime?

Overall, the exchange striked me as completely bland and a non-issue. The fact that it was preserved and published is the issue here, IMO.

Glad I’m not the only one who thought this was an in person issue. Nope- it was texts. ALL of this over texts. I did not get that impression on Oprah at all. What a surprise…..only not.

That we’re still hearing about this is absurd imo.

I don’t see what the big issue was either with the texts. That it is continuing to be brought up is though.

 

[Curryong]

I read many many articles in which the assertion was made in the British media that ‘Meghan made Kate cry’. It was at its height during the time that London tabloids were beating the drum that the feud between the brothers had started with Meghan’s disruptive arrival and had broken the brotherly bond, the narrative being that she had broken up the united trio that had existed.

Those stories were around when the Sussexes were still working royals and they didn’t stop at any time after they left. That assertion about Meghan making Kate cry was still in newspapers and repeated ad nauseam when the Sussexes were living in Canada and then when they moved to LA. That was long before the Oprah interview.

 

[Leopoldine]

I hated the way Harry responded to questions from both Tom Bradby and Anderson Cooper. It was in a smug manner ... a rote, rehearsed awkward parade of woke words. He'd say his piece, set his face, and figure he would not be challenged. Reality TV behavior.

I used to like Harry.

 

[kimebear]

I hated the way Harry responded to questions from both Tom Bradby and Anderson Cooper. It was in a smug manner ... a rote, rehearsed awkward parade of woke words. He'd say his piece, set his face, and figure he would not be challenged. Reality TV behavior.

I used to like Harry.

You're not alone.

My heart broke for both of the brothers when Diana died, and when Harry went into the military and seemed determined to do his bit, regardless of his position, I admired his ethics. After watching him be a third wheel to W&K for years, I was thrilled for him when he got married, hoping that he'd found the partner in life that his brother had.

Now I'm just fed up with his nonsense and complete disregard for the world he grew up in. Surely he above many others knows how trashy some of the media can be and the adult thing would be to ignore it and plow ahead. But when he is guilty of everything that he accuses his family of doing, there's no moral high ground for him, but he can't seem to grasp that concept. It's a shame.

 

[Erin9]

Reviews of Spare from the Times (https://archive.vn/tVt0c), Telegraph (https://archive.vn/An9TT) and Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jan/10/spare-prince-harry-review-attempt-reclaim-narrative).

Thanks. I liked the Times one particularly.

 

[ppetrica]

I think it's quite possible that the discussion about titles and skin color might have been separate conversations.

I think that discussion about skin color didn't happen because it was seen as a problem, but rather as a benefit for a royal family and a monarchy.
Problems with racism and general discussion about them didn't just start out of the blue when Meghan appeared, it's been present in the western societies for a while. And the Queen and the working royals, being a sort of apolitical politicians who at all times must be aware how their subjects feel, were aware that any diversity in the royal family would be considered as a good thing.

The fact that some decided to use it for their own benefit (fame and money), is another thing.

 

[Moran]

Social media and various media people parroted those sentiments as well, but it doesn’t appear that either Eugenie or her mother (who was in invited to H+M’s wedding) agreed though, as Eugenie and Harry and Meghan remain close and Sarah has said several sympathetic things about the Sussexes’ treatment by the media for example in her interviews.

I wouldn't say they didn't agree. Sarah was clearly irritated. When they posted their news officially, she didn't congratulate them, instead posing a picture of Eugenie and Jack at the wedding.

I wouldn't expect Eugenie to hold onto her grudges forever. That's Harry and Meghan's specialty. It wasn't something worth carrying with you forever, so she didn't. It doesn't mean that it didn't happen anyway. Harry and Meghan don't get to benefit from the fact that someone is more mature and well-meaning than them. But who knows, perhaps Eugenie privately cried and Jack found her and they're going to complain over it in 5 or 10 years.

Eugenie and Sarah's behavior is the norm for me. I wouldn't even say it's particularly kind. That's what people in families do. They hurt each other in small ways, step on each other's foot, feel sad and move on. Unless they're Meghan who turned the episode into an Oprah drama and drilled Harry to say "she said"... as if it was God's own truth. For something he didn't even witness.

As to the media spin of it, I fail to see how that makes Meghan justified in twisting the episode on Oprah's show. Meaning, Meghan was hurt by a lie so it was A-okay to hurt Catherine by twisting the truth which basically amounts to a lie? I notice that Catherine's baby brain didn't make it to this rendition of the events. Instead, Meghan's own difficulties were presented. God forbid anyone remembers that instead of sitting home with her newborn after an exhausting pregnancy. Catherine should rally up and make things easier for Martyr Meghan.

And anyway, the press attention arose months after the wedding. A truly well-meaning person would have not remembered it in such detail. But as we know, Meghan keeps a report of the Passions of Meghan, aka documenting everything. Funny how it worked to twist the episode on Oprah but did nothing to help her remember that she had worked with Scobie on Finding Freedom.

 

[King of the Jungle]

Harry admits to smoking marijuana.
My nephew and a friend of my daughter both had parents where there was some mental illness. Both were advised by their doctors to not smoke marijuana.
Given Diana's mental health issues could Prince Harry's almost paranoid observations of small irritations and public outbursts be attributed to Cannabis-induced personality disorder or marijuana psychosis?