Read to find out the release date of Prince Harry's memoir, as well as the possible ramifications he may face.
Ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped away from the Royal spotlight in pursuit of their individual endeavors, the spotlight from public attention didn't shift away as rumors and speculations of rifts kept materializing through headlines.
As the release date of Prince Harry's memoir, Spare, has been announced, many are wondering if this is the right time for the Prince to delve into the details behind his and Meghan's exit from the Royal family.
A tumultuous relationship
To say that Harry and Meghan faced difficulties in their relationship from the very beginning is an understatement, and it isn't due to issues between themselves, but particularly due to the public scrutiny that was placed upon them.
The couple had their first date in 2016, and that same year, they were forced to announce their relationship to the public through a Kensington Palace statement, reports Vanity Fair. At the same time, Prince Harry was furious over what he described as 'harassment' by the press that was directed at Meghan.
These were the cracks that were beginning to appear within the couple's relationship with the Royal family, which would ultimately result in their exit in 2020. The exact point of conflict or a particular rift is not entirely known at this point, but during the Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021, Prince Harry attributed the exit to a 'lack of support and lack of understanding' at the time of the media harassment they were seemingly facing.
Responding to the interview, the late Queen Elizabeth II said:
The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.
Furthermore, Express reports that Prince William wasn't entirely happy with the pace at which Prince Harry was moving forward with Meghan, and reportedly utilized the help of Princess Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, to have him speak to Harry about slowing down.
This didn't entirely go well with Prince Harry. As opposed to media reports about a rift between Meghan and Princess Kate Middleton, the conflict may have begun between the brothers which further escalated to create a bigger distance between the couples.
Ramifications of the memoir
Prince Harry's memoir has been a hotly discussed subject ever since it was announced by Penguin Random House in 2021, particularly on how far the Prince would go in terms of revealing his experiences with the Royal family, and how candid it would be.
At the time, Prince Harry said:
I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become. [I'm aiming to produce a] firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.
That being said, after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the circumstances are vastly different at this point. Prince Harry has a very big decision to make on whether he wants to mend the bridges with his family, or live up to the choice he and Meghan made in 2021 to leave the Royal family behind.
If the memoir follows the latter option, it is certain that the couple would never be able to return to the Royal family, although The Mirror reports that Harry and Meghan are perfectly content with their new lives in California.
When is the memoir coming out?
The New York Times reports that an estimate by industry experts places the publication date on January 10, 2023. Initially, reports indicated that the book would be released in the latter half of 2022, but was subsequently delayed.
The meaning of the title is a reference to the term 'The Heir and the Spare,' which usually describes the Royal family member who is directly in line to assume the monarchy and their sibling. Prince Harry, in this case, is indicating that he is the spare, and this could imply that his memoir would contain information about the rift between him and Prince William.
Only the end result can truly reveal how far Prince Harry has gone to describe his side of the story, and it would ultimately decide the state of his relationship with his family from that point onward.
Read more:
⋙ Prince Harry: A Possibility of a Royal reunion
⋙ This is what Prince Harry and Meghan Markle want to do next
