One bad word too many, a push from William – and Prince Harry is on the ground, injured by shards of a broken dog bowl. At least that’s how the royal describes, according to a report, in his memoirs what is probably the most violent dispute known to date between him and the man, who is not only his brother, but also the heir to the British throne. The “Guardian” received a copy of the top secret book – and on Thursday gives a first insight into the abysses of the approaching royal escalation. Harry’s autobiography “Spare” (German: “Reserve”) is scheduled for release on January 10th.
“It all happened so quickly, very quickly, he grabbed my collar, tore my chain and threw me to the ground,” the newspaper quoted Harry’s description of the argument more than three years ago. Prince William is said to have previously described Harry’s wife Meghan as “difficult” and “rude”, after which Harry accused his brother of adopting the narrative of the British tabloids. Kensington Palace initially did not comment on any of this.
“Never complain, never explain”
It is questionable whether the royal family can continue to uphold its motto “Never complain, never explain”. It seems certain that Harry will be much harder on his family in his autobiography than in the Netflix docuseries “Harry
The fact that the difficult relationship between the brothers also puts a strain on the family is explicitly mentioned in Harry’s book. At a meeting after Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021, Charles – then heir to the throne – is said to have asked his sons: “Please boys, don’t make my last years miserable,” Harry recalled, according to the Guardian.
Currently, a secrecy operation is underway for “Spare”, which is compared to that of the Harry Potter book series. But even before the book has unfolded its full impact, the author seems to be trying to limit the damage at the same time. “The door is always open,” Harry says in a teaser for an ITV interview the British broadcaster plans to air on Sunday. He hopes his family is willing to sit down and talk about everything.
When asked if he wanted to attend his father’s coronation in May, the 38-year-old replied evasively: “A lot can happen by then.” However, in the same interview, Harry also reveals that he wishes William and his father “back”. The ball is now in the playing field of the palace.
Breakdown in Spain
According to British media, however, Harry’s autobiography accidentally went on sale in Spain on Thursday. According to their own statements, several British media houses were able to obtain a Spanish-language copy in Spain five days before the official publication. The “Hola” magazine in Spain also reported on it. There was initially no reaction from the publisher Penguin Random House to the reports.
British news channel Sky News reported that the books were available in the windows of a major bookstore chain in Spain on Thursday “and then hastily removed”.
Decades ago, Prince Harry reportedly joined Prince William in pleading with his father Charles not to marry his partner Camilla. William and he “begged” their father not to marry a second time, Harry writes in his memoirs, as reported by the “Sun” and the “Daily Mail” on Thursday. Harry feared Camilla as a “bad stepmother”.
Harry says about his first official meeting with Camilla that he prepared for it like an injection. “Close your eyes and you won’t even notice it,” writes the 38-year-old. However, Camilla was “bored” and took the meeting as a formality as Harry, as a non-heir to the throne, did not stand in her way.
