Prince Harry is due to tell all in his memoir, "Spare". Photo / AP
Prince Harry is due to tell all in his memoir, "Spare". Photo / AP
OPINION:
The Duke of Sussex wrote his memoir for himself as he could not spend his life trying to make his family happy, sources have suggested.
However, the book, which is called Spare and published on January 10, is not considered a “takedown of his family” but a relatable narrative of a human journey.
It is described by those familiar with the manuscript as a “beautiful read”, a tale of family idiosyncrasies and struggles with which readers from all walks of life will identify.
The experience of addressing certain issues is said to have been cathartic for the Duke, who since leaving the UK has made no secret of the difficulties he has faced.
He is aware that the royal family, his father and brother in particular, are braced for impact, fearing an explosion of personal “truth bombs” that will once again rock the institution.
Sources acknowledge that for good or bad, that was the undeniable result of the now-infamous Oprah Winfrey interview. But they insist the book is wholly different.
And while the Duke is not blind to his family’s concerns, the rift between the two camps is now thought to be so deep-rooted that any attempt at appeasement would have been considered futile.
“You can’t kind of always live your life trying to make your family or your siblings happy,” one source said. “You have to choose your own happiness.”
“Spare,” Prince Harry's memoir. Photo / Random House Group via AP
Prince Harry’s intent is to share the message that you can go through hard times, struggle with grief and uncertainty about your future, but still come out the other side.
While it may not have been his motive, the book is expected to take aim at members of the royal family by delving into the cycle of “genetic pain and suffering” that he has previously described, for which he appears to blame his father, the King.
As it was announced last week, publisher Penguin Random House said: “For Harry, this is his story at last. With its raw, unflinching honesty, Spare is a landmark publication full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.”
Both Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace were informed of the book’s title and publication date just ahead of its announcement on Thursday morning.
However, no member of the royal family has yet been shown a manuscript, with their aides and legal advisors also kept in the dark.
Duke could travel to UK to promote book
Originally scheduled for release to capture the lucrative Christmas market, it was delayed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Reports that Prince Harry got “cold feet” and asked for sections to be edited after witnessing the wave of public affection for the monarch are said to be exaggerated. A note will explain that the book was written before the death of his grandmother.
The book is unlikely to be accompanied by a huge publicity blitz, although when it comes to promotion, the Duke and his team will be operating largely at the behest of the publisher.
It is thought that he may travel to the UK in the New Year to take part in some promotional activity that sets out his “intent” and his hopes for the book.
Aides are aware that, while they have stepped away from official royal duties, the Duke and Duchess are still members of the Royal family and as such, could not embark on an all-singing, all-dancing publicity drive in the same vein as other celebrities or those paid to promote a project.
The Duke has announced that he will give almost £1.5 million (NZ$3m) of the proceeds to charity. He is reported to have received a multimillion-pound advance for the book, written with Andre Agassi’s ghostwriter JR Moehringer.
