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


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There was something about a requirement that the chapel be open for other weddings if they had gotten married there. I could be wrong but I don't recall that this delayed the ceremony. They just had to adjust the logistics.

They were married in a civil ceremony with a church blessing, the original plan was to be married privately at Windsor but it required a license that would have left it open for other weddings. Something like that anyway. That is why they married in the registrars office. Followed by the blessing st StGeorges.
 
Really insightful - when Harry’s family has tried, he has shut them down. How awfully sad to say or think that your brother doesn’t mean it when he tells you that he loves you.:sad:

I can’t help but wonder if William wishes his parents had gone ahead and tried for that girl Charles always wanted, so that there would be a third sibling in the mix to maybe cut the tension or at least be another person William could talk to.

As things stand now William must be overwhelmed at times. Diana is gone, he sees Charles getting older and whatever good parts of the relationship with Harry he may have had are gone now. I know he has supportive people around him, but it must be hard when he looks at the bond between Peter and Zara, for example, or Kate and her siblings.
 
I think William knew 3 years ago that Harry was gone out of his life for good, most likely... and I am inclined to question if they were all that close once they got past adolescence
 
I can’t help but wonder if William wishes his parents had gone ahead and tried for that girl Charles always wanted, so that there would be a third sibling in the mix to maybe cut the tension or at least be another person William could talk to.

As things stand now William must be overwhelmed at times. Diana is gone, he sees Charles getting older and whatever good parts of the relationship with Harry he may have had are gone now. I know he has supportive people around him, but it must be hard when he looks at the bond between Peter and Zara, for example, or Kate and her siblings.
Well it’s not always that blood family members will be forever your blood family. Plus William has massive support from those closest to him. Plus there’s bigger fish to fry IMO. Harry will do what Harry does
 
They were married in a civil ceremony with a church blessing, the original plan was to be married privately at Windsor but it required a license that would have left it open for other weddings. Something like that anyway. That is why they married in the registrars office. Followed by the blessing st StGeorges.

The original idea was to have the civil wedding at Windsor Castle, but that would have meant the castle getting a licence to hold civil (non-religious) marriage ceremonies, which, as you say, would have meant that any members of the public could ask to hold their wedding there. It didn't really hold up the plans, though.
 
This Diana and anti-Charles/Camilla fixation seems to be a new thing. I distinctly remember Harry demonstrating a good relationship with his stepmother. I hope even his most ardent defenders don't think that Charles and The Queen would have reverted back to the times of Edward IV and his brother George. Harry was never in danger of suffering for his honesty to proclaim support for his father's remarriage. He wouldn't even have been thrown out in the street to fend for himself. So his support has 3 explanations:

1) He lacked the courage to stand for his late mother's memory and his own convictions. Given the fact that he was in Afghanistan and he still shook in his boots because of William shaking, I wouldn't exclude this possibility.

2) He really didn't mind as much as he wants us to believe now and his recollections vary in the way that best fits him and his bank account. I can't exclude this either.

3) He really didn't mind as much as he wants us to believe now and he's had too much therapy and people using him for their own gains. This option can't be ignored. I, myself, have a friend whose too close bond with her therapist is wrecking her life and relationships. I can attest that it's possible.

4) He relly didn't mind as much as he wants us to believe now but the evil American witch brainwashed him. That's the only version I do exclude.
 
I think William knew 3 years ago that Harry was gone out of his life for good, most likely... and I am inclined to question if they were all that close once they got past adolescence


Wish this were the case. Harry had a problem becoming the 3rd wheel to the Cambridges. He wanted his own Kate and latched onto the first woman who said yes. I also suspect he blindsided her by not giving her the truth about how difficult it is to work in the family; a level of manipulation on his part. Instead of taking accountability for failing his wife he blames everyone else.
He's doing more interviews because the negative press has increased and now instead of just being ridiculed he's getting full on mocked.
 
Is there nothing the ghostly Diana can't do ?

Im not trying to be flippant, but Harry's obsession with her is beyond unhealthy. She throws up roadblocks to delay Charles and Camilla's Wedding.....Her hair in a box on his nitestand is credited with assisting in Meghan becoming pregnant. His words, after placing the pregnancy test beside the box "right, lets see what Mummy can do about this situation".......

Its obsessive and it seems to be worsening. Downright creepy.

Did he actually say that?! That is very creepy indeed.
 
Has anyone seen the reviews on Amazon? It appears that Harry and Meghan or one of them has been writing good reviews about their book under the name, Duke and Duchess of Sussex. ?

All recent reviews are from the States and it shows...

Amazon also has an excerpt of Harry's reconstructed thoughts before meeting Charles and William after the DoE's funeral. In some ways it seems very much the Harry we've got to know obsessing over his mother but in other ways, these are clearly not his words (or thoughts; for example, the one about Einstein must have been put in his mind/mouth by someone else, probably Meghan).

The most recognizable woman on the planet, one of the most beloved, my mother was simply indescribable, that was the plain truth.

(...)

Maybe she was omnipresent for the very same reason that she was indescribable—because she was light, pure and radiant light, and how can you really describe light? Even Einstein struggled with that one. Recently, astronomers rearranged their biggest telescopes, aimed them at one tiny crevice in the cosmos, and managed to catch a glimpse of one breathtaking sphere, which they named Earendel, the Old English word for Morning Star. Billions of miles off, and probably long vanished, Earendel is closer to the Big Bang, the moment of Creation, than our own Milky Way, and yet it’s somehow still visible to mortal eyes because it’s just so awesomely bright and dazzling.

That was my mother.

That was why I could see her, sense her, always, but especially that April afternoon at Frogmore.
 
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Does Harry address in the Book when the Sussex's came up with the 'Half In-Half Out' Plan ?
I am very curious if he established a timeline for it.

Lots of his bitterness seems to be that it was denied. In its entirety.
Its obvious to anyone that follows them, that they thought it would be approved in some fashion and that they would keep their prestigious Commonwealth Roles and The VIP Security too, taken away it hit Harry's ego hard. Not to mention his wallet.

All Harry really knows IS being a Royal, I don't think in spite of his words that being a Soldier defined him. He "used" it to establish credibility and a separate identity. But it obviously didn't stick.

All their grand plans literally vetoed, and then Covid Lockdowns came. No ability to make big bucks on the talk circuit as he had wanted. I think they ALWAYS thought that they would be in The States too. Rubbing shoulders with A-listers in Politics and Hollywood and being influential on their own. White House visits, and invites to prestigious events like President Obama's BIG 60th Birthday Gala.

But none of that happened. And I think it absolutely eats them up. They arent A-listers or important. No matter the Podcast, or Docu-series they cant break through.
President Biden WENT out of his way to meet William and Kate when both were in Boston last month. That's power, that clout.

That what The Sussex wanted. Reach.
I think they decided soon after the Wedding, they were leaving, Part time Royals on their OWN terms, with the ability to make lots of money and be Global Figures in their own right, not junior members to William and Kate, either.

Deceiving The Family into the lavish Wedding, high profile Tours that they would be certainly fully committed full time members who ACCEPTED their place in the hierarchy.

I think since then The Family realised that they were played for fools, that Harry and Meghan were just biding their time to build up a public profile and then shockingly lied about false bullying and racism that forced them to leave.....finding their freedom BS..... when the Queen said No, you are in or you are out.

And now their success depends on one thing, trashing and demeaning The Royal Family and yes, The Institution of Monarchy. Selling their grievances to the highest bidder.
They are pathetic.

That pretty much sums it up. Can I copy and post this to Twitter?:cool:
 
I think William knew 3 years ago that Harry was gone out of his life for good, most likely... and I am inclined to question if they were all that close once they got past adolescence

As others have noted, I think recollections vary on Harry and William's relationship. I believe they were very close when they were younger. William may have wanted some distance between him and Harry at Eton, but I do not believe that William pushed him aside.

William was drawn into Catherine's family and Harry although welcome, wasn't the center of William's universe anymore. At the same time, he also felt that Camilla took Charles from him. Again, he was welcome but wasn't the center of Charles's universe.

I understand it can be isolating and lonely for someone who doesn't have their own family. But Harry has his own family now. Whatever else, Meghan loves him and I bet those children adore him. I don't understand why that isn't enough for him.
 
I understand it can be isolating and lonely for someone who doesn't have their own family. But Harry has his own family now. Whatever else, Meghan loves him and I bet those children adore him. I don't understand why that isn't enough for him.

Because he's bitter and spiteful.

And possibly not well.
 
Meghan would never have been happy there. So that was a no go. There's not enough A-listers there.

This!^ She thought the Clooney's would be beating down their door for invitations to banquets at Frogmore (Palace, not Cottage) straight out of a Barbara Cartland novel. They even had that going for a while at a rental property, while they were renovating FC.

But then the honeymoon was over and the drudgery of real work set in, and they weren't worshipped or sought after, so they had no more use for life in the UK. It is clear that "California here we come" was their motto very soon into their short royal career.
 
I suspect that had Africa been on the table when Harry was dating Chelsy, he would have jumped at the chance, and that they'd be happy together.

That's such a bittersweet thought, I think that would have been the only way Harry would have found true happiness. But Chelsy probably had problems with how damaged Harry was, she is an intelligent lady from a fairly normal family background and it would have been obvious that H wasn't marriage material for her.
 
Does Harry address in the Book when the Sussex's came up with the 'Half In-Half Out' Plan ?
I am very curious if he established a timeline for it.

Lots of his bitterness seems to be that it was denied. In its entirety.
Its obvious to anyone that follows them, that they thought it would be approved in some fashion and that they would keep their prestigious Commonwealth Roles and The VIP Security too, taken away it hit Harry's ego hard. Not to mention his wallet.

All Harry really knows IS being a Royal, I don't think in spite of his words that being a Soldier defined him. He "used" it to establish credibility and a separate identity. But it obviously didn't stick.

All their grand plans literally vetoed, and then Covid Lockdowns came. No ability to make big bucks on the talk circuit as he had wanted. I think they ALWAYS thought that they would be in The States too. Rubbing shoulders with A-listers in Politics and Hollywood and being influential on their own. White House visits, and invites to prestigious events like President Obama's BIG 60th Birthday Gala.

But none of that happened. And I think it absolutely eats them up. They arent A-listers or important. No matter the Podcast, or Docu-series they cant break through.
President Biden WENT out of his way to meet William and Kate when both were in Boston last month. That's power, that clout.

That what The Sussex wanted. Reach.
I think they decided soon after the Wedding, they were leaving, Part time Royals on their OWN terms, with the ability to make lots of money and be Global Figures in their own right, not junior members to William and Kate, either.

Deceiving The Family into the lavish Wedding, high profile Tours that they would be certainly fully committed full time members who ACCEPTED their place in the hierarchy.

I think since then The Family realised that they were played for fools, that Harry and Meghan were just biding their time to build up a public profile and then shockingly lied about false bullying and racism that forced them to leave.....finding their freedom BS..... when the Queen said No, you are in or you are out.

And now their success depends on one thing, trashing and demeaning The Royal Family and yes, The Institution of Monarchy. Selling their grievances to the highest bidder.
They are pathetic.



You nailed it!! This is what i think it’s happening. The bitterness because they are unable to breakthrough and be part of A listers!!
 
They still had Meghan convert and become a member of the Church of England (which I still believe was more out of tradition than anything else), had at least Archie baptized. All rather hypocritical if you profess not to be religious (but only spiritual).

Nonetheless, I agree that the bigger problem lies with William (and Catherine). Unlike his grandmother, there are few signs that they consider themselves as Christians/believers - members of the CoE, yes (although Catherine was confirmed only just before her wedding), but that's about it.

I have wondered about this. One day Prince William will be King and head of the Church of England, yet there is no evidence that he and Catherine go to church, and I don't recall them ever professing to be Christians. I know this is off topic so is there a forum to discuss it?
 
I honestly can't decide.

1. It's all about money, and creating as much controversy as possible because that sells.

2. It's all about spite, because he couldn't get his own way and now he can't make it on to the A list.

3. He is seriously unwell and has got some sort of Messiah complex about freeing the world from Evil Courtiers and the Evil Press, combined with thinking a lock of his late mother's hair has magic powers.
 
William was drawn into Catherine's family and Harry although welcome, wasn't the center of William's universe anymore. At the same time, he also felt that Camilla took Charles from him. Again, he was welcome but wasn't the center of Charles's universe.

And that way I think all of this started.
I think that Diana and Charles wanted their newborn second son to always know that for them he is equal to his older brother and not a spare, so they indulged him and never said no, while William had boundaries and certain expectations. Harry's jealousy of William from early childhood probably made Diana and Charles to indulge him even more, they probably made him feel the center of their universe. And then Diana died at a time when he was entering puberty, bitter divorce before that, so Charles was in my opinion probably even more permissive. Combine that with a trait in his character that would one day start developing into narcissism, some mental health issue and never being too bright, excellent PR machine in BP, William starting his own family, Charles moving on and then comes Meghan.
 
I can’t help but wonder if William wishes his parents had gone ahead and tried for that girl Charles always wanted, so that there would be a third sibling in the mix to maybe cut the tension or at least be another person William could talk to.

As things stand now William must be overwhelmed at times. Diana is gone, he sees Charles getting older and whatever good parts of the relationship with Harry he may have had are gone now. I know he has supportive people around him, but it must be hard when he looks at the bond between Peter and Zara, for example, or Kate and her siblings.

This is an interesting point. Peter and Zara or Beatrice and Eugenie seem to be quite close. Catherine also seems to be close with her siblings. And then we have William and Harry who have grown apart and are no longer close.
It will be interesting to see if in a few years William and Harry will be able to rebuild their relationship.
 
It will be interesting to see if in a few years William and Harry will be able to rebuild their relationship.


Doubtful. As long as Harry is happily married, he will maintain his current anger over what he perceives as his family's ill treatment of his wife, and if he and Meghan divorce, then he will blame that on Charles and William as well as causing friction in his marriage. It's a no-win situation for C&W.
 
Doubtful. As long as Harry is happily married, he will maintain his current anger over what he perceives as his family's ill treatment of his wife, and if he and Meghan divorce, then he will blame that on Charles and William as well as causing friction in his marriage. It's a no-win situation for C&W.

I dunno... Divorce has a funny way of re-setting a person's mindset and perspective. I know my brother was barely in contact with either me or my mom during his first marriage - for a variety of reasons - and after he divorced, he was able to step back and reassess, reevaluate and reestablish relationships with both of us. I think it could go either way with Harry, though that would only be if he is still in touch with any of his extended family (Eugenie, Bea, Zara, Peter, etc) and they can act as some sort of encouraging bridge for him.
 
As others have noted, I think recollections vary on Harry and William's relationship. I believe they were very close when they were younger. William may have wanted some distance between him and Harry at Eton, but I do not believe that William pushed him aside.

William was drawn into Catherine's family and Harry although welcome, wasn't the center of William's universe anymore. At the same time, he also felt that Camilla took Charles from him. Again, he was welcome but wasn't the center of Charles's universe.

I understand it can be isolating and lonely for someone who doesn't have their own family. But Harry has his own family now. Whatever else, Meghan loves him and I bet those children adore him. I don't understand why that isn't enough for him.

When I was reading the book I’d often feel there was a disconnect between what Harry was trying to prove and what the book was actually describing. For example, I thought what he said about the interactions between him and William was a much more realistic description of a real life sibling relationship than the attached at the hip narrative we heard about until Harry met Meghan. Of course there were times when William wanted nothing to do with him! But, as described in the book, when Harry freaks out at Eton after his friends shave his head, the first place he runs is over to William’s room. William, probably sixteen at the time, laughs when a newly bald Harry bursts in, and Harry uses this as evidence of William not caring enough about him. But William didn’t kick him out of the room and slam the door behind him - he just didn’t react in the exact way Harry thought he should. There are many similar anecdotes that come down to William not following whatever script Harry had in his head about how an encounter should go, and Harry then holding a grudge.
 
I find his latest interview with the Telegraph quite, well worrying to be honest. It sounds almost like like a threat to his family - I'll write more if you don't do what I want. It's really quite worrying.

How much more can Prince Harry write about? Would he write about how he got along with his grandfather Earl Spencer?
 
When I was reading the book I’d often feel there was a disconnect between what Harry was trying to prove and what the book was actually describing. For example, I thought what he said about the interactions between him and William was a much more realistic description of a real life sibling relationship than the attached at the hip narrative we heard about until Harry met Meghan. Of course there were times when William wanted nothing to do with him! But, as described in the book, when Harry freaks out at Eton after his friends shave his head, the first place he runs is over to William’s room. William, probably sixteen at the time, laughs when a newly bald Harry bursts in, and Harry uses this as evidence of William not caring enough about him. But William didn’t kick him out of the room and slam the door behind him - he just didn’t react in the exact way Harry thought he should. There are many similar anecdotes that come down to William not following whatever script Harry had in his head about how an encounter should go, and Harry then holding a grudge.

I think it's more a matter of his memory having been "curated" to find offense in incidents like this which most of us see as normal sibling interaction - and we probably have similar stories we can share of our childhoods if we have siblings ourselves. What I see is Harry coming to believe that, somehow, everything William has said or done in life is really because William is insecure even though he's the heir and yet Harry is more popular with the public. There can be no other possible why William doesn't understand now why Harry had to leave the BRF unless it's wrapped up in William, really, going all the way back into childhood, has been jealous of Harry.
 
How much more can Prince Harry write about? Would he write about how he got along with his grandfather Earl Spencer?

Yes, and Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip, Princess Anne, The Wessex, W&K's children, the British ministers and senior civil servants, Brexit, the press, named courtiers and named persons in the countries he has visited, other royal families, his friends and their spouses, more about the British public, British politics... - there are plenty of topics where he can write about him and/or Meghan being slighted or where he can share his wisdom or can give his frank opinion, depending on how he choose to remember them.

Oh, and did I forget to mention that he could write about US politicians, from presidents down as well a US celebs in general, not to mention US politics - We have already had a foretaste of that vis a vis H&M's remarks about the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.
And then we have religion.

There is plenty of material! :D
 
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I honestly can't decide.

1. It's all about money, and creating as much controversy as possible because that sells.

2. It's all about spite, because he couldn't get his own way and now he can't make it on to the A list.

3. He is seriously unwell and has got some sort of Messiah complex about freeing the world from Evil Courtiers and the Evil Press, combined with thinking a lock of his late mother's hair has magic powers.

I'd say it's a combination of all three.
 
Yes, and Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip, Princess Anne, The Wessex, W&K's children, the British ministers and senior civil servants, Brexit, the press, named courtiers and named persons in the countries he has visited, other royal families, his friends and their spouses, more about the British public, British politics... - there are plenty of topics where he can write about him and/or Meghan being slighted or where he can share his wisdom or can give his frank opinion, depending on how he choose to remember them.

Oh, and did I forget to mention that he could write about US politicians, from presidents down as well a US celebs in general, not to mention US politics - We have already had a foretaste of that vis a vis H&M's remarks about the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.
And then we have religion.

There is plenty of material! :D

The lawyers took a lot out of the book and I bet most of that stuff he is pathetically threatening with in the Telegraph. You can’t just mention people. You could be libel. He didn’t really know Earl Spencer who was long in bad health by the time he was born. He doesn’t know his nephews and niece. Louis not at all. I wouldn’t say that someone who last saw me when I was about 6 or 7 knew me. I mean he has seen them barely at all in 3 or 4 years. Doubt even Charlotte really knows who he is. Louis wouldn’t know. They’ve never really met their cousins.
 
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The lawyers took a lot out of the book and I bet most of that stuff he is pathetically threatening with in the Telegraph. You can’t just mention people. You could be libel. He didn’t really know Earl Spencer who was long in bad health by the time he was born. He doesn’t know his nephews and niece. Louis not all. I would say that someone who last saw me when I was about 6 or 7 knew me. I mean he has seen them barely at all in 3 or 4 years. Doubt even Charlotte really knows who he is. Louis wouldn’t know. They’ve never really met their cousins.

Would that prevent him? Especially when being interviewed.
Not sure about the American legislation but I think that as long as he merely states his opinion about people, he can pretty much say what he wants.

That of course goes for politics as well. The BRF usually refrains from saying anything remotely political, but a rogue Harry? What's to prevent him?

Can the British Parliament - on their own - strip Harry of his royal status, should he go too far?
Because believe me, Harry has just started! Right now Harry has a global audience. The press coverage about his book has been immense! I suspect he is basking in the attention. - And there will be no shortage of interviews, TV-shows and other public appearances, and he will continue for quite a while to get a lot press coverage - in the hope he says something controversial, that will lead to headlines.

He is saying things and revealing details that surpass even the wildest dreams of the British tabloids - as well as other international gossip magazines. And he is doing it at virtually no expense for the press and without a risk of a lawsuit and public backlash.

So, he is going to be goaded into saying more, oh yes!
 
Would that prevent him? Especially when being interviewed.
Not sure about the American legislation but I think that as long as he merely states his opinion about people, he can pretty much say what he wants.

That of course goes for politics as well. The BRF usually refrains from saying anything remotely political, but a rogue Harry? What's to prevent him?

Can the British Parliament - on their own - strip Harry of his royal status, should he go too far?
Because believe me, Harry has just started! Right now Harry has a global audience. The press coverage about his book has been immense! I suspect he is basking in the attention. - And there will be no shortage of interviews, TV-shows and other public appearances, and he will continue for quite a while to get a lot press coverage - in the hope he says something controversial, that will lead to headlines.

He is saying things and revealing details that surpass even the wildest dreams of the British tabloids - as well as other international gossip magazines. And he is doing it at virtually no expense for the press and without a risk of a lawsuit and public backlash.

So, he is going to be goaded into saying more, oh yes!

Newspapers would also be careful of what they allowed to be said in interviews. If it was penned as his opinion then fine. He can say what he is wants. No one is really listening anyway. The government will do nothing. They don’t care. And it is hardly important. He doesn’t work for the family anymore.

The coverage he is getting hasn’t been great. I am sure the book is very wel, written but he himself hasn’t been well received.
 
Hi, I am first time posting here after lurking for a couple of months.

There has been much interesting information in this thread. I wonder about Harry’s financial future and if he has to keep publishing books like this indefinitely. Is he expected to receive an inheritance when Charles dies? What happened after Queen Elizabeth’s death? Did Anne, Andrew and Edward receive an inheritance or was their financial futures set up in advance?
 
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