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

[CyrilVladisla]

If Prince Harry and Meghan were to do engagements for King Charles III, could Charles completely trust them?

 

[Erin9]

Within the American social class system, Anderson Cooper is definitely placed in the highest tier. He is a son of Gloria Vanderbilt and a Yale graduate. I don't know, however, his views on the United Kingdom and on the British monarchy. So, I am not sure what to expect from his interview with Harry. Hopefully he will be more neutral/ impartial than Oprah for example.

Anderson Cooper is a real journalist. He has to be better than Oprah. And 60 Minutes is….well 60 Minutes.

I don’t know exactly what to expect, but he’s covered a lot of major news stories over the years.

 

[tihkon2]

His perspective could be very interesting. Hopefully challenging and get some specifics. I just so hope it doesn't turn into a puff piece.

It will be a puff piece. For sure. Maybe with pensive faces from Anderson and some pretensions of being serious, but nonetheless, I cannot imagine it being a hard hitting interview. I would love to be wrong though...

 

[Erin9]

Anderson Cooper’s life has some elements in it which may give him a different perspective on the disfunction in Harry’s family.



His (Anderson’s) father died when Anderson was only 10. And when Anderson was 20, his 23 year old brother took his own life by suicide.



When you’ve lost members of your own nuclear family*, it makes it difficult to comprehend any reason that you would choose never to see them again. Charles (and William) would show themselves to be stronger men by finding a way to reconcile with Harry.



After all, Harry has made a mighty effort for many years to forgive and forget what his father did to their family.



*and this is something I know from my own life

I think Anderson could turn that right around on Harry if he so chose. Harry’s the one making a living trashing his family and in the same breath claiming he wants reconciliation. He doesn’t act like a man who wants a close relationship- or any relationship at all- with his nuclear family. If he did- he would shut up about private family matters.

Reconciliation is a two way street. What exactly is Harry doing to show he wants a reconciliation? Besides saying the words on a TV show that will be seen world wide. Netflix just happened. I don’t recall that being very nice. We’re about to find out what exactly is in his memoir- but I rather doubt it is just going to be full of kindness and compassion towards his family and the family business.

I think Anderson might well wonder why Harry continues to trash his family and complain in public and then claim to want a better relationship, and then put all the blame Charles and William for the fact they’re not getting along. It sounds absurd to my ears.

 

[camelot23ca]

It will be a puff piece. For sure. Maybe with pensive faces from Anderson and some pretensions of being serious, but nonetheless, I cannot imagine it being a hard hitting interview.

I agree. Anderson may be a serious journalist but just because a journalist has the ability to do a hard hitting interview doesn’t mean they always will. This will have the style of a serious interview, not the substance. It won’t impact Anderson’s reputation because Harry isn’t important in the way a politician or a CEO or similar would be - his decisions don’t have any serious ramifications for the American public.

Harry will get a few mildly uncomfortable sounding questions, which he will be prepared for, and there won’t be any follow up that actually challenges him, or requires him to think on his feet.

 

[Alison H]

I'm not so sure that we'll be seeing any family reunions. According to press reports here, Harry has been bleating about wanting his father and brother back, but has also had a right go at both William and Kate in the book. If he wants to be back in the family fold, slagging off his brother and sister-in-law, especially given how popular they are here in the UK, is hardly the way to go about it.

 

[soapstar]

Charles (and William) would show themselves to be stronger men by finding a way to reconcile with Harry.

After all, Harry has made a mighty effort for many years to forgive and forget what his father did to their family.

While it’s sad to see families cut ties with one another, it’s also important to note that sometimes it’s necessary. Sometimes people can be so toxic and self-destructive, that you have to cut them off for your own well being. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. You shouldn’t have to subject yourself to toxicity just because someone is family.

I will say I always find it interesting that Charles and William are expected to forgive and reconcile with Harry, yet Meghan and Harry are never asked to forgive and reconnect with Meghan’s dad. At the end of the day, Harry and Meghan are doing the exact same thing Thomas did (go to the media to trash family and then complain that said family member doesn’t want to reconcile).

Maybe one day Harry can heal the rift with his brother and father, but right now I don’t think any of them are in a place where it’s possible. Especially since Harry continues to go to the media and attack them. Trust has been broken and it will take a long time to recover from that.

 

[tihkon2]

"Harry will get a few mildly uncomfortable sounding questions, which he will be prepared for, and there won’t be any follow up that actually challenges him, or requires him to think on his feet."

Exactly. This is exactly what I expect.

 

[Granada]

ladongas,
Can you explain how Harry has made a MIGHTY EFFORT for many years to forgive and forget what his Father did to their family ?
Its not like Charles walked away and abandoned his kids after Diana died in a tragic car accident. I unfortunately know of Parents that post divorce or tough times HAVE. Emotional, physical abandonment or both.

Yes, he had an affair. MANY families, in public and private roles deal with that all the time. Look at JFK and Jackie. She never let his indiscrete womanizing IN THE WHITE HOUSE NO LESS, and later reputation, post assassination, EVER impact his standing as her children's wonderful father.

And how can Charles and William "reconcile" with Harry (and Meghan) when it seems monthly there is a new, serious and damaging allegation made about them in the Media ?
Nobody, themselves included, seem to know what the Sussex's want exactly. Lately, as of last week, its an apology and "sit down" summit supposedly.

Its beyond tiresome and at this point the constant barrage of complaints and ridiculous grievances are frankly boring. Harry said just this month that at the Sandringham Summit "it was TERRIFYING, my brother was screaming and shouting at me"...... sorry that's laughable. Just laughable.

You were seeking to upend a working model in place to benefit yourself and wife for BIG BUCKS and a sky high public 'international' profile that your family knew WOULD never work. HI-HO. You brother called you out on it. I'd be emotional too.
AND your father sat there and said things that "simply weren't true" to you....well WHAT did Charles say ? Maybe they were true, you just couldn't or wouldn't accept that.

 

[Erin9]

I agree. Anderson may be a serious journalist but just because a journalist has the ability to do a hard hitting interview doesn’t mean they always will. This will have the style of a serious interview, not the substance. It won’t impact Anderson’s reputation because Harry isn’t important in the way a politician or a CEO or similar would be - his decisions don’t have any serious ramifications for the American public.



Harry will get a few mildly uncomfortable sounding questions, which he will be prepared for, and there won’t be any follow up that actually challenges him, or requires him to think on his feet.

That’s a good point. Anderson and 60 Minutes are both serious. However, Harry most certainly is not important from an American perspective.

I would like to see the interview you just described. I know Anderson can do it- but I don’t really expect him to go for the jugular. But I think this will be better than Oprah and Netflix. That’s an absurdly low bar though.

 

[Prinsara]

That’s a good point. Anderson and 60 Minutes are both serious. However, Harry most certainly is not important from an American perspective.

I would like to see the interview you just described. I know Anderson can do it- but I don’t really expect him to go for the jugular. But I think this will be better than Oprah and Netflix. That’s an absurdly low bar though.

There's no point in it being "Anderson and 60 Minutes" without some real questions and answers. Otherwise he could have gone on "Today" (although Jenna is a friend of his father's), James Corden again, or anything similar.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Anderson Cooper’s life has some elements in it which may give him a different perspective on the disfunction in Harry’s family.

His (Anderson’s) father died when Anderson was only 10. And when Anderson was 20, his 23 year old brother took his own life by suicide.

When you’ve lost members of your own nuclear family*, it makes it difficult to comprehend any reason that you would choose never to see them again. Charles (and William) would show themselves to be stronger men by finding a way to reconcile with Harry.

After all, Harry has made a mighty effort for many years to forgive and forget what his father did to their family.

*and this is something I know from my own life

I hope you’re being sarcastic or joking, William and especially Charles have offered an olive branch and they (Sussexes) have repeatedly snubbed that and have constantly thrown digs and insinuations without evidence. What has Charles done to his family? Charles wasn’t paid 100s of millions of dollars to denigrate his family to the world.

No one exiled Harry, he exiled himself to Montecito to pursue his questionable commercial activities most of which involve bashing his family any chance he gets. The ball is in Harry’s court if he wants to reconcile with his family or not. They cannot reconcile with Harry till he stops bashing the family to the world media and making digs and jabs in his Montecito palace across the pond.

I don’t believe Harry has made a “mighty effort to forgive Charles” from his actions since being in Montecito so I don’t get what you’re implying. Charles and William have been strong to ignore his ramblings in my eyes because Harry’s stunts reflect on him rather than them. Plus Harry is an adult enough to know what he is doing and he can’t be so blind and delusional (sic) to not realize he’s not helping the situation.

Anderson might be sympathetic to loss of family, but he’s not someone to wallow in self pity and go through the easy way out. Plus he’s a self-made personality, regardless of his family notoriety something Harry cannot relate to.

 

[Ista]

I believe the interviews will essentially be puff pieces. If there had not been some kind of guarantee about the type and scope of questions Harry would never have agreed to them. Since we have not heard any kind of distancing or disavowal of the interviews from the Sussex camp, I think we can be assured that there were no uncomfortable questions asked, or unflattering answers left unedited.

It would be fascinating if my assumption is incorrect, however.

 

[GraceOMalleysGhost]

I think that the topics / questions may have been agreed upon and Harry may be willing to address the questions because he is trying to promote his book and also continue on his ongoing quest to share his "truth".

The question is will the interviewers ask follow up questions regarding the "theys" that the Sussexes refer to, and also to provide specific incidents to support allegations being made, which Harry may be prepared to do because these may be things that he wrote about in his book.

From there it will be how will the public accept Harry's responses, and that could be further segmented into the UK public, the US public, the commonwealth, and the ROW (rest of the world).

P.S.
I suspect that the interviewers will ask follow up questions and for supporting details but I doubt that they will "grill" Harry and I don't even know if that is necessary. Maybe others have a different perspective, but of the portions that I saw of the interview that Prince Andrew did a few years ago, I don't think he was grilled, rather he was asked questions, he responded and things unfolded from there.

I agree, they won't be "grilled" but I think Anderson is savvy enough to ask questions that lead to Harry giving answers that unknowingly show him in a bad light.

Cooper is an experienced journalist but he, like Oprah, is past his prime and trying to bring interest to himself. I think that's why he pushed hard for the interview. He'll softball it, for the most part, I can't imagine the Sussex's lawyers allowing anything else.

From what I've seen from Harry so far I think this book is going to be a flop. I think he may even know that hence the faux wanting to "reconcile". To paraphrase the late QEII definitions of reconciliation may vary. H&M want their way and aren't willing to budge, they want Charles and the Institution to cave to their demands. That's not reconciliation, that's capitulation. That will only happen in H&M's dreams.

Even if Charles wanted to cave in to them he is just part of a giant mechanism and many of the smaller parts of that mechanism simply can't work under HIHO or any variation. Either H&M are working royals who follow the script, or they aren't and can have their life overseas. I think Charles has been fairly clear about that.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Anderson Cooper is a real journalist. He has to be better than Oprah. And 60 Minutes is….well 60 Minutes.

I don’t know exactly what to expect, but he’s covered a lot of major news stories over the years.

The important thing is that AC likely has a much more nuanced and sophisticated view of British royalty than Gayle King, Oprah Winfrey and the Netflix producers.

Which isn't saying much, because 99% of the posters here at TRF are probably more knowledgeable than they are.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

ladongas,
Can you explain how Harry has made a MIGHTY EFFORT for many years to forgive and forget what his Father did to their family ?
Its not like Charles walked away and abandoned his kids after Diana died in a tragic car accident. I unfortunately know of Parents that post divorce or tough times HAVE. Emotional, physical abandonment or both.

Yes, he had an affair. MANY families, in public and private roles deal with that all the time. Look at JFK and Jackie. She never let his indiscrete womanizing IN THE WHITE HOUSE NO LESS, and later reputation, post assassination, EVER impact his standing as her children's wonderful father.

And how can Charles and William "reconcile" with Harry (and Meghan) when it seems monthly there is a new, serious and damaging allegation made about them in the Media ?
Nobody, themselves included, seem to know what the Sussex's want exactly. Lately, as of last week, its an apology and "sit down" summit supposedly.

Its beyond tiresome and at this point the constant barrage of complaints and ridiculous grievances are frankly boring. Harry said just this month that at the Sandringham Summit "it was TERRIFYING, my brother was screaming and shouting at me"...... sorry that's laughable. Just laughable.

You were seeking to upend a working model in place to benefit yourself and wife for BIG BUCKS and a sky high public 'international' profile that your family knew WOULD never work. HI-HO. You brother called you out on it. I'd be emotional too.
AND your father sat there and said things that "simply weren't true" to you....well WHAT did Charles say ? Maybe they were true, you just couldn't or wouldn't accept that.

This is absolutely perfect and good sum up.

 

[Alison H]

Agreed - Granada has summed it up perfectly. I don't know what planet Harry is on if he expects people to believe that he genuinely wants to be reconciled with his father and brother when all he does is bad mouth them in writing and on TV.

 

[Queen Claude]

Anderson Cooper’s life has some elements in it which may give him a different perspective on the disfunction in Harry’s family.

His (Anderson’s) father died when Anderson was only 10. And when Anderson was 20, his 23 year old brother took his own life by suicide.

When you’ve lost members of your own nuclear family*, it makes it difficult to comprehend any reason that you would choose never to see them again. Charles (and William) would show themselves to be stronger men by finding a way to reconcile with Harry.

After all, Harry has made a mighty effort for many years to forgive and forget what his father did to their family.

*and this is something I know from my own life

Both William and Charles have made overtures to Harry so I don't know what the basis is for stating that either has chosen "never to see [Harry] again".

It has been reported that Harry has been invited to Charles' coronation and that Harry and his family have a standing invitation to visit Charles.

What has not happened, or at least it has not been reported on, is that neither Charles or William have apologized to Harry, and presumably Meghan, but if those two either don't feel that they have done anything wrong, or that there is enough blame to go around, then I doubt if an apology will be forthcoming from any of the parties.

Right now it seems like the King has not banish Harry but at the same time, neither he nor William are willing to conduct themselves according to Harry's terms.

 

[Muhler]

How can Harry (and Meghan) possibly hope to reconcile with his family after this - another traincrash - interview?
Or is this some sort of halfwit (and I mean that, because it sure ain't intelligent) attempt to win the hearts and minds of the public?

And last but not least: What does he want? Becoming the heir instead of William? To be loved and admired by everybody globally?

Can anything possibly satisfy them anymore? It looks to me like they are at a stage where everything that does not go according to how they like it, is a cause for grievance. And if you look for grievances, you shall surely find them.

Can't say about the foreign press in other non-English speaking countries, but here in DK, as far as the papers even bother writing about them anymore, H&M have long since gone past their last sell date. And the impression they leave, also among serious reviewers, is negative.

- It's like watching a Greek tragedy, you know it will end bad, but you can only sit and watch until the end with very mixed emotions.

 

[yukari]

(...)

P.S.
I suspect that the interviewers will ask follow up questions and for supporting details but I doubt that they will "grill" Harry and I don't even know if that is necessary. Maybe others have a different perspective, but of the portions that I saw of the interview that Prince Andrew did a few years ago, I don't think he was grilled, rather he was asked questions, he responded and things unfolded from there.

I agree with Queen Claude's assessment.
The interesting or dangerous part for Harry in this interview is that he simply isn't all that smart. He is also hampered by his delusional belief that The Institution is and was out to sideline and demean The Sussex's. Sorry, I don't buy any of that.

Very much like Andrew, who thought he was smarter and could easily handle the Emily Maitlis Interview, and finally put his controversial friendship with Epstein to rest. Move forward from it, AND boy did that blow up spectacularly. (...)

Yes, this can potentially end up like Andrew's interview. Surely Andrew's lawyer was involved in that interview, weren't they? Same as Meghan's The Cut interview and look how it turned out. In a way, on their SA ITV docu, TB also didn't really do "hard hitting" questions and supposedly only asked pre-approved ones, but I don't think the Sussexes like how it turned out (didn't Meghan said on the Netflix show that she didn't expect or caught off guard with the "nobody ask I'm okay" question?).

This book is ghostwritten, right. If it results in backlash (most likely), I wonder would they pull another "we're too trusting, that's not how we want to tell our story" again?

 

[Magnolia471]

So Harry wants her father back...Well, Thomas Markle would like to have his daughter back as well. Why Meghan and Harry are allowed to cut off "toxic" family members when Royal Family must forgive them? Thomas got money for one shooting, Meghan and Harry did a whole documentary for a pay check...Following their logic, Royal Family should never speak to them again.

 

[Erin9]

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

I agree, they won't be "grilled" but I think Anderson is savvy enough to ask questions that lead to Harry giving answers that unknowingly show him in a bad light.

That is something I can easily see happening. I can also see Harry not being savvy enough to know how he’s come across after it’s over. (Like Andrew.)

I didn’t think Harry came off well in Oprah or Netflix. I rather doubt he’ll come off better in this.

 

[yukari]

I have to admit, I’m rather dreading the book, though I will read it and review it here. This is getting self-destructive on a level that’s difficult to watch. Forget Meghan, Harry is making it clear that he is a deeply entitled man who doesn’t think logically and clearly. For all his anger at having his own privacy invaded, he is now choosing to invade his family’s privacy in ways that tabloid media could only dream of.

(...)

- It's like watching a Greek tragedy, you know it will end bad, but you can only sit and watch until the end with very mixed emotions.

And unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it will end anytime soon what with the rumour of Meghan writing her own tell-all book. I have my doubt that the rumour is true (surely they know it's time to stop digging their hole), but with many rumours pertaining them turned out to be true, it won't surprise me if this one as well.

 

[tommy100]

Anderson Coopers interview is the one I expect to go pretty softly, Cooper knows less about the RF and the way it works than a UK journalist might so won't necessarily be able to challenge some of the usual vague claims Harry makes. Anderson was noted in some of the pre interview articles to be "a mental health advocate like Harry" so I expect that, and talk of Diana, will be where the US interview sits. Americans either love or are indifferent to Harry and Meghan so Anderson won't loose sleep over having to grill Harry in the way he might over interviewing a US President or the like.

The UK interview is the more interesting IMO, the couple are disliked or dismissed by the majority of the UK. They have been proven to have, at best exaggerated at worst lied, by the UK press who are actively out to get them now. Brady has been highlighted as being friends with Harry (he was invited to their wedding) and William in the past. The expectation in the UK is whoever did the interview would have to challenge Harry on claims he makes and has made in the past. Now you have someone seen as a "shoe in" or "Set up" - a friendly interviewer who won't challenge him so Bradby has a choice - either go soft and allow people open season on saying it was a set up and he is no longer a serious journalist (as he once was) or he actively makes sure to challenge every claim and hold Harry accountable to prove he is still a real journalist.

I expect therefore the UK interview to be more revealing and more important.

How Harry can say he wants to reconcile with William and Charles well selling a book that apparently - and indeed lets wait and see - attacks William and Catherine is interesting. I hope one of the two ask him about that. The interview itself may well be enough to upset Charles and William never mind the book which apparently reveals minute details about the brothers arguing. Expecting someone to overlook that and come to you honestly and openly is madness. The couple were filmed reading a text William sent to his brother after the Oprah interview, I can't imagine William or Catherine would feel comfortable approaching Harry and Meghan knowing it will probably all be in season 2. Harry and Meghan called the Sun out for apologising publicly for the Clarkson interview but not to them personally - moaning William isn't speaking to you while selling a book revealing personal, private details about his relationship with him is IMO very similar.

As for the book, well tbh anything else Harry and Meghan related for a while, Spare me!

 

[Erin9]

The important thing is that AC likely has a much more nuanced and sophisticated view of British royalty than Gayle King, Oprah Winfrey and the Netflix producers.

Which isn't saying much, because 99% of the posters here at TRF are probably more knowledgeable than they are.

He probably does. I also expect Anderson to have done his homework in advance. He’s not going to just smile and nod.

LOL- True. I expect most of us know much more.

 

[Lilyflo]

What would interest me most in 'Spare' and the promotion interviews is a detailed breakdown of specific grievances. For example, "this lie about me/Meghan was printed in this newspaper on this date saying this. The truth, however, is this but BP/KP refused to comment or permit me to deny it. Meanwhile, this falsehood about William/Kate/Charles was printed and BP/KP refuted it." I want to see multiple examples of this alleged different treatment rather than the vague generalisations that have been given so far. Unless Harry divulges specific, relevant information with names and dates, his interviews and book will just be an extension of his endless, over-privileged whinge.

 

[HRHHermione]

What would interest me most in 'Spare' and the promotion interviews is a detailed breakdown of specific grievances. For example, "this lie about me/Meghan was printed in this newspaper on this date saying this. The truth, however, is this but BP/KP refused to comment or permit me to deny it. Meanwhile, this falsehood about William/Kate/Charles was printed and BP/KP refuted it." I want to see multiple examples of this alleged different treatment rather than the vague generalisations that have been given so far. Unless Harry divulges specific, relevant information with names and dates, his interviews and book will just be an extension of his endless, over-privileged whinge.

This is a good take and I agree. It’s put up or shut up time. The documentary had a ton of allegation and insinuation without supporting facts. If the memoir is more of the same, I will probably conclude that there are no facts that support Harry’s opinion.

 

[Mirabel]

Anderson Coopers interview is the one I expect to go pretty softly, Cooper knows less about the RF and the way it works than a UK journalist might so won't necessarily be able to challenge some of the usual vague claims Harry makes.

I agree; I'm sure the interview was vetted, or Harry wouldn't agree to it in the first place. He has yet to be asked to substantiate any of his allegations.

It's somewhat ironic the Cooper's ancestress, Consuelo Vanderbilt, was the first to use the term Spare.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Great catch Mirabel...I had forgotten that it was Consuelo Vanderbilt who coined the term "Heir and Spare"!

 

[Ghost]

For the life of me, in the last three years I haven’t understood what do Charles and William have to apologize for. What wrong did they do to H&M?