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

[Magali]

Actually, there may be good reason for concern. Besides these security risks, I’m also not sure Harry is mentally prepared for (very) negative reactions to his book.

 

[Muhler]

I always thought that Harry never wanted to be king, but then he had that ambition.
But the UK is lucky that William is the heir. Harry doesn't even have the profile to be king, and it's a good thing he's not the heir. Harry must try to gain maturity, as he is old enough, and find the balance to be able to move forward and accept that his brother is the heir.

I don't think Harry minds William being king, as long as he, Harry, is more popular than William.

Not out of jealousy as such I think, but because that was a narrative Harry felt good with and which suited his world view and image of himself.
I.e. Harry the popular, cheeky but charming lad, versus the "boring" and "stiff" William. Harry, who would be cheered just as much by adoring crowds as king William. Harry, the man behind the king. Harry, the cheeky eminence.

I suspect he came to believe that narrative, failing to realize that you cannot be "Harry the Lad" forever.

I think most of us have known one or more "Harry the Lads" when we were young, but as we grow older, get married, divorce perhaps, have children, careers, obligations, sometimes illnesses, the old "Harry the Lads" we used to know and like and often were close with too, faded out of the circle of close friends. - There is too little in common now.

I think that while Harry remained the Lad, William progressed and matured and grew into his future life as a family man and eventually king. William became "boring" (I suspect he is introvert).

And one day Harry discovered he was among the last of the lads. All the other lads had become family men, fathers, have careers and other priorities than go and get drunk. And typically of so many "lads" they deeply desire the idyllic family life and that I'm very certain was also the case with Harry. He looked as his brother and his family and wanted that as well, no doubt with every intention of being a model husband and father. Because how difficult can it be?
It's no problem being a good dad, when you are a funny uncle and play and tumble and tell crazy stories to your nieces and nephews and they laugh and love you for it.
It's no problem being a good husband, who is funny and make your sister-in-law laugh, when you are still just dating.

So Harry found Meghan and was determined to be the most dedicated and protective father and husband on the planet and of course people would admire and cheer him and his family. So when the problems arose they surely could not be his fault, he is after all the model husband. And Meghan is naturally beyond reproach.
Logic dictated that is has to be someone else who is at fault: The court, the press, the multitude of racists in UK rearing their heads. His father, who also let his idolized, dead and therefore eternally blameless, mother down. His treacherous brother who stabbed H&M in the back. His envious sister-in-law, because surely that must be the reason why she didn't instantly regarded Meghan as her best friend. - And at some point in the future rge betrayal of his grandmother for not acknowledging the huge asset team H&M was for the BRF. In fact he has already hinted that QEII was weak and easily manipulated. The step from that and to QEII really being behind H&M's problems is not far, you mark my words.

It cannot be Harry's fault, because that would shatter his world view.
(Regard the Nazi uniform, he asked W&K whether he should wear it. I imagine they thought he was joking saying: Yeah do that, great idea. In Harry's world the logic conclusion is that they set him up. It was not his mistake, he was conned.)

Thus ends my pocket-philosophical input for today. - Dinner is ready.

 

[kimebear]

This thread is moving so fast I feel like I can't keep up! lol

I wrote here once that I thought it may have been the Youssoupov emerald bandeau tiara that Meghan saw. I've never seen it in Diamond Fund photos, and the sleek simplicity is Meghan's style.

That's an interesting idea, although apparently the mystery tiara is now being described as 'all emeralds' so I think that would leave out the bandeau. I still think it was the Greville kokoshnik that Eugenie wore and we're hearing a distorted version because Harry and Eugenie are still close. Although, since we now know that Meghan tried on the mystery emerald tiara, it makes me wonder why it would have been offered in the first place if already promised to Eugenie.

Third, I absolutely do not believe that the Queen "begged" them not to use one of tiaras that Diana wore.
Diana wore only 2 tiaras - Spencer tiara is not owned by the royal family at all, and Lovers Knot tiara was obviously returned to the Queen after the divorce for the future Princess of Wales to wear it some day. Harry isn't the owner of the Lovers Knot tiara, so the Queen certainly didn't have to beg Meghan not to wear it.
\

Agreed, unless Harry was talking about the other Spencer tiara, which Diana never wore and is really rather clunky looking. So I doubt it.

Didn't William and Kate also start out in Nottingham Cottage btw?

Yes they did. They were living there when George was born. If it's good enough for two future kings, it should have been good enough for a temporary home for Harry and Meghan.

And I can't imagine that Meghan and Harry are feeling content or confident today in Montecito either. The Book and its " revelations " seem to have spectacularly back fired on them. It had made them appear literally buffoonish. Laughingstocks.

I think you'd be mistaken in that assumption. H&M surround themselves with people who encouraged this nonsense to begin with. The same circle that will assure them that "their truth" is finally being told to the world and how wonderful that is. They won't bother reading all the negative reactions or just dismiss them as bitter comments by W&K supporters.

 

[TLLK]

This has to be shared.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1611226167927005184

It is very clever.

 

[Mbruno]

This has nothing to do with "human rights". This combat was a war-like situation which lasted for many years and western soldiers as well as the Taliban dies in it. Everyone knows, that men and women involved in a war, die. Still, radical islamic sympathisers could possibly want to take some sort of sick revenge now...

There is no doubt that, in a war zone, Harry as an attack helicopter pilot was required to fire on enemy combatants when commanded to do so, and that the likely result of such action would be that some, if not most of those who were fired upon would be killed. Nobody is saying that Harry committed war crimes or anything of that sort. But boasting about your kills and dehumanizing your enemy, especially after the war ended, is unbecoming of a British officer or former officer. There are several people who hold or held leadership position in the services, as well as veterans, expressing a similar opinion in the British papers today.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

This just gets worse and worse for Meghan and Harry...apparently Tom Bower gave an interview yesterday to discuss the excerpts that have come out from Spare and in doing so revealed that while writing his own book he was told that Meghan asked Catherine how it felt to be cuckolded by William (remember that there were unsubstantiated rumors of an affair). If, and that's a huge if, this is true I can completely and fully understand any and all goodwill from William, Catherine, and the RF going out the window. I desperately hope that no one, including Meghan, would ever be that crass, uncouth, and cruel but after all that I'm reading straight from Harry's own pen I really don't believe I'd be surprised by anything anymore.

If she can sit with her arms folded across her pregnant belly in tow on Oprah’s chair and say that her child wasn’t given a title because of his skin color and that she and her husband were “married” three days before they were officially married, then anything is possible with the Markles of Montecito. Plus the baby drain comment from the book, anything is possible and the gurgling noises/moaning noises she made during her Cut interview, you get the picture?

 

[Emmily]

I don't think Harry minds William being king, as long as he, Harry, is more popular than William.

Not out of jealousy as such I think, but because that was a narrative Harry felt good with and which suited his world view and image of himself.
I.e. Harry the popular, cheeky but charming lad, versus the "boring" and "stiff" William. Harry, who would be cheered just as much by adoring crowds as king William. Harry, the man behind the king. Harry, the cheeky eminence.

I suspect he came to believe that narrative, failing to realize that you cannot be "Harry the Lad" forever.

I think most of us have known one or more "Harry the Lads" when we were young, but as we grow older, get married, divorce perhaps, have children, careers, obligations, sometimes illnesses, the old "Harry the Lads" we used to know and like and often were close with too, faded out of the circle of close friends. - There is too little in common now.

I think that while Harry remained the Lad, William progressed and matured and grew into his future life as a family man and eventually king. William became "boring" (I suspect he is introvert).

And one day Harry discovered he was among the last of the lads. All the other lads had become family men, fathers, have careers and other priorities than go and get drunk. And typically of so many "lads" they deeply desire the idyllic family life and that I'm very certain was also the case with Harry. He looked as his brother and his family and wanted that as well, no doubt with every intention of being a model husband and father. Because how difficult can it be?
It's no problem being a good dad, when you are a funny uncle and play and tumble and tell crazy stories to your nieces and nephews and they laugh and love you for it.
It's no problem being a good husband, who is funny and make your sister-in-law laugh, when you are still just dating.

So Harry found Meghan and was determined to be the most dedicated and protective father and husband on the planet and of course people would admire and cheer him and his family. So when the problems arose they surely could not be his fault, he is after all the model husband. And Meghan is naturally beyond reproach.
Logic dictated that is has to be someone else who is at fault: The court, the press, the multitude of racists in UK rearing their heads. His father, who also let his idolized, dead and therefore eternally blameless, mother down. His treacherous brother who stabbed H&M in the back. His envious sister-in-law, because surely that must be the reason why she didn't instantly regarded Meghan as her best friend. - And at some point in the future rge betrayal of his grandmother for not acknowledging the huge asset team H&M was for the BRF. In fact he has already hinted that QEII was weak and easily manipulated. The step from that and to QEII really being behind H&M's problems is not far, you mark my words.

It cannot be Harry's fault, because that would shatter his world view.
(Regard the Nazi uniform, he asked W&K whether he should wear it. I imagine they thought he was joking saying: Yeah do that, great idea. In Harry's world the logic conclusion is that they set him up. It was not his mistake, he was conned.)

Thus ends my pocket-philosophical input for today. - Dinner is ready.

Muhler, I think you are right.

 

[HRHHermione]

The thread has been cleaned up and is now reopened. Several posts have been removed. Please remember to engage respectfully with other members.

 

[soapstar]

I find it increasingly hard to reconcile the man who once said, “there is this incessant need to find out every little bit of detail that goes on behind the scenes. It’s unnecessary,” to the man who is now detailing his last words at the Queen’s deathbed and recounting what Meghan said at Diana’s gravesite. Those type of things are so intimate and private and I think one day Harry may come to regret revealing so much.

On another note, the ghostwriter of Harry’s book (Jay Moehringer), liked a tweet from someone who called out Harry out for being all about “me, me, me.”

That clip from Jimmy Kimmel is hilarious. I don’t think this book is landing the way Harry expected. He’s being mocked all over the place.

 

[Denville]

But is comparing them to chesspieces a wise way to come to terms with it? Has he really come to terms with it and telling us what he learned? Or is he halfway through therapy and this book is a public therapy session?

I seem to remember that when he came back form his war service he made a few remarks of this nature, that seemed to indicate it was like a video game to him.... I agree it doesnt seem like coming to terms with his war service but rather distancing himself from it.

 

[Ghost]

I seem to remember that when he came back form his war service he made a few remarks of this nature, that seemed to indicate it was like a video game to him.... I agree it doesnt seem like coming to terms with his war service but rather distancing himself from it.

The playstation comment, and said that he was quite good at it. He seemed proud.
After two very exhausting days, what I take out of all the fragments and it breaks my heart:
Charles and his teddy bear.
All the work Kate has put in keeping the brothers close in a healthy way (we are all subjective what a healthy way means. I liked how she said “we are not that close for you to talk about my hormones.” It means that there are people close enough that could have made that joke. And Meghan, if she had given it time, could have been one of them.)
The way he, Harry, was psychologically trained to resist in case he was kidnapped. It might have harmed him even more.

 

[Denville]

The playstation comment, and said that he was quite good at it. He seemed proud.
After two very exhausting days, what I take out of all the fragments and it breaks my heart:
Charles and his teddy bear.
All the work Kate has put in keeping the brothers close in a healthy way (we are all subjective what a healthy way means. I liked how she said “we are not that close for you to talk about my hormones.” It means that there are people close enough that could have made that joke. And Meghan, if she had given it time, could have been one of them.)
The way he, Harry, was psychologically trained to resist in case he was kidnapped. It might have harmed him even more.

Everyone knows Charles has an attachment to his teddy bear, that he kept it on his bed as a grown man.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

I find it increasingly hard to reconcile the man who once said, “there is this incessant need to find out every little bit of detail that goes on behind the scenes. It’s unnecessary,” to the man who is now detailing his last words at the Queen’s deathbed and recounting what Meghan said at Diana’s gravesite. Those type of things are so intimate and private and I think one day Harry may come to regret revealing so much.

On another note, the ghostwriter of Harry’s book (Jay Moehringer), liked a tweet from someone who called out Harry out for being all about “me, me, me.”

That clip from Jimmy Kimmel is hilarious. I don’t think this book is landing the way Harry expected. He’s being mocked all over the place.

Wow! The ghostwriter liked a tweet? Lol, that main is a legend and smart man at that. He’s not Harry’s friend, simply a man who knows what he’s about.

 

[Ista]

I find it increasingly hard to reconcile the man who once said, “there is this incessant need to find out every little bit of detail that goes on behind the scenes. It’s unnecessary,” to the man who is now detailing his last words at the Queen’s deathbed and recounting what Meghan said at Diana’s gravesite. Those type of things are so intimate and private and I think one day Harry may come to regret revealing so much.

On another note, the ghostwriter of Harry’s book (Jay Moehringer), liked a tweet from someone who called out Harry out for being all about “me, me, me.”

That clip from Jimmy Kimmel is hilarious. I don’t think this book is landing the way Harry expected. He’s being mocked all over the place.

It's really heartbreaking, in a way. What happened to that person who could so clearly see that preserving privacy was important? So many of the excerpted passages read like an unedited therapy session, and involve the kind of detail that, once in the public domain, you can never get back and make unique, private, precious again.

 

[Sunnystar]

This has to be shared.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1611226167927005184

Hilarious. And in a similar vein...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1611292439255580674

 

[HRHHermione]

Wow! The ghostwriter liked a tweet? Lol, that main is a legend and smart man at that. He’s not Harry’s friend, simply a man who knows what he’s about.

I think it’s very probable that the ghostwriter, J.R. Moehringer, who is quite respected in both his own right and as a collaborator on autobiographies, was overruled on much of the content in this book.

I don’t want to go too far into the realm of speculation, but there are aspects that sound like Meghan collaborated heavily. For example, the part about Kate not wanting to share her lipgloss.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but that’s something my husband would never in a million years notice or remember.

 

[SOS]

Perhaps the PR people at the palace were brilliant because they made Harry look like a laidback and fun-loving guy. They made him look like someone he never was?

Laidback and fun-loving is what made him a popular royal. More popular than his brother which is something he apparently loves.

It seems he doesn't like people who disagree with him, he rather surrounds himself with people who think he's great. I'm sure professional psychologists can make more sense of it all. Looking forward to read their articles.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

I think it’s very probable that the ghostwriter, J.R. Moehringer, who is quite respected in both his own right and as a collaborator on autobiographies, was overruled on much of the content in this book.

I don’t want to go too far into the realm of speculation, but there are aspects that sound like Meghan collaborated heavily. For example, the part about Kate not wanting to share her lipgloss.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but that’s something my husband would never in a million years notice or remember.

Meghan definitely put her two cents and memories here especially with the lipgloss thing. Please who needs to share that? She definitely told Harry this because I can’t see him having a conversation about this with Kate.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Perhaps the PR people at the palace were brilliant because they made Harry look like a laidback and fun-loving guy. They made him look like someone he never was?

Laidback and fun-loving is what made him a popular royal. More popular than his brother which is something he apparently loves.

It seems he doesn't like people who disagree with him, he rather surrounds himself with people who think he's great. I'm sure professional psychologists can make more sense of it all. Looking forward to read their articles.

Edward Lane-Fox, that’s his name right? The PR man who worked that all out. I think he was laid back and fun loving. Anything that questions his narrative is wrong according to him.

 

[suztav]

I wonder if Eugenia will remain close to Harry after this train-wreck?

 

[Sionevar]

Hilarious. And in a similar vein...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1611292439255580674

Sorry, but that's brilliant. Kudos to whoever made it.

 

[tausi]

It is very clever.

?? Jimmy is hilarious!! The part with the necklace had me laughing too hard!

I have been reading this thread, and thank you everyone for all interesting comments. I laughed so hard at all the comments. My god, who is advising Prince Harry? How can anyone take him serious again?

 

[Sionevar]

I see someone is now using the fuss about this book to claim the BRF is at soap opera level, and they're all just ridiculous, so the whole institution needs to go.

The person in question needs to realize it's only one person causing the fuss, not the whole BRF. If Harry had stayed quiet, none of us would know all this stuff now coming out.

But it does make me wonder if the book will harm the BRF...

 

[tausi]

ok everything else aside, what is this about Harry getting a message from his mom, the late Diana? I read an article in independent. It just sounds mental to me. He does need help.

 

[Granada]

Wow, Heather thanks for posting the quip by Harry about his "soulmate" admiration for the ruthlessness of King Henry lV what an odd, odd choice for Harry to make.
As a giant lover of English Royal History I find this curious. Personally, I might have chosen Henry Vll (first Tudor king ) who too was an "usurper"
too, and famously took the throne from King Richard 111.
Henry lV was not a successful King. His reign 1399-1413 was plagued by difficulty from the beginning when he took the throne from his cousin Richard 11, who died mysteriously or was murdered a year later.

Anyway, not to get off course into that fascinating time, I will leave you with two points.
The last five years or so of his reign he was troubled by lots of personal and political problems, he had developed a horrific skin disease that his contemporaries thought was leprosy.
Kinda bad karma it was felt, a judgement from God for deposing Richard 11. Big problems with son and heir, later the very successful King Henry V.
Lastly, ironically after his death, his second wife Queen Joan of Navarre was accused of being a Witch. She was imprisoned for years but thankfully later released. Quite unprecedented, EVEN for those days.
Again, an odd, odd choice.

 

[SOS]

I wonder if Eugenia will remain close to Harry after this train-wreck?

Probably, if she doesn't want it herself, they will ask her to keep a connection. It's always better to have a connection than nothing at all. Perhaps that's why this connection still exists.

 

[Sionevar]

ok everything else aside, what is this about Harry getting a message from his mom, the late Diana? I read an article in independent. It just sounds mental to me. He does need help.

He apparently visited a medium, who apparently told him Diana's spirit was in the room with them, and that Diana wanted him to know he was living the life she wanted for him.

There is also a very strange anecdote about how Harry saw a leopard on safari in Botswana that he believed was a messenger sent by Diana to tell him everything would be fine.

All of this is quite worrying to me. I don't think Harry is well at all. I wish he would stop lashing out, and seek some serious help.

 

[Sionevar]

Another snippet from the book - Harry claims he did not agree to give William Diana's engagement ring in return for the Cartier watch. He says William asked for it after Diana's death, then simply kept it.

 

[tausi]

He apparently visited a medium, who apparently told him Diana's spirit was in the room with them, and that Diana wanted him to know he was living the life she wanted for him.

There is also a very strange anecdote about how Harry saw a leopard on safari in Botswana that he believed was a messenger sent by Diana to tell him everything would be fine.

All of this is quite worrying to me. I don't think Harry is well at all. I wish he would stop lashing out, and seek some serious help.

Waoh! Thank you for the info!

This is crazy! I can't believe the ghost writer left this in. He must have known Prince Harry will look crazy. It's not a normal behaviour.

 

[tausi]

Another snippet from the book - Harry claims he did not agree to give William Diana's engagement ring in return for the Cartier watch. He says William asked for it after Diana's death, then simply kept it.

Lol, I guess Meghan wants the ring