Prince Harry tells his story

(Scott Olson/Getty Images)

On the 410th — and last — page of Prince Harry’s memoir, he thanks readers for wanting to know his story in his words. He says he’s “so grateful” to have been able to share it thus far.

But as much as Spare gives the 38-year-old the chance to tell that story, the book and the media swirl around it have spawned a host of questions — for the Duke of Sussex himself, the Royal Family and the institution of the monarchy.

“In terms of the soap opera, yeah, Harry’s a guy in pain. He wrote his memoir,” royal author and historian Tessa Dunlop told the CBC’s Margaret Evans in London. 

“The problem is that’s breaking royal protocol. Where does that leave the trust within the family? Where does that leave the family? And the institution is the family.”

Harry’s book was published Tuesday, landing amid a media frenzy that came a month after the release of the six-part Netflix docuseries about him and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. 

This time around, headlines latched on quickly to many of the more personal revelations, including Harry’s recounting of an altercation that turned physical with his elder brother, Prince William, and how Harry begged his father, now King Charles, not to marry Camilla, now the Queen Consort. 

It is, in ways, the latest retelling of familiar themes for Harry — particularly how and why he despises the tabloid media — and offers a relatively rare glimpse into life behind palace walls.

But in telling his story, there could be peril for the prince. Even as the book set a sales record for its publisher, a poll in the U.K. suggested Harry’s popularity is at an all-time low.

“There's clearly a saturation point to how much of the public is interested in Harry's recollections,” said Toronto-based royal author and historian Carolyn Harris in an interview, noting how he and Meghan have spent much of the last couple of years going over past events and sharing their frustrations from their time as senior members of the Royal Family.

Now that they have all this public attention, Harris suggested, Harry and Meghan will have to decide “what are they going to do with this? Have they said their piece, and will they move on to other things? Is there anything more left to be said?”

Certainly, Harry has a lot to say in Spare. Aspects of the book have come across to some observers as myopic, petty and salacious, and an effort to vent grievances against others without taking responsibility for his own actions. There are also compelling, sympathetic and poignant accounts of events that have clearly had a profound impact on him, particularly the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales when he was just shy of 13.

“There's a very strong preoccupation with death and remembrance that comes across, and that's not simply because of Diana's passing,” said Harris. She noted his references to the death of a childhood friend and how he was advised to update his will before he left as a soldier for Afghanistan. 

“There's long been a perception of Prince Harry as being this … cheeky prince. And he does talk about how much he liked to make other people laugh and how that sometimes contributed to some of the poor decisions that he made. But the tone of the memoir is definitely not a lighthearted one.”

Harry also spends considerable time recounting his military training and service. Some revelations have drawn criticism from enemies and allies alike, particularly his assertion that he killed 25 Taliban militants in Afghanistan.

Harry’s book is only the latest in a long line of royal memoirs, and has among its goals one that has been at the forefront in other retellings of royal lives dating back centuries, Harris suggests.

“Royalty have always wanted to shape their image in the public eye,” she said.

“It's clear that Prince Harry wants to shape the narrative about himself…. He's not just trying to get his own side across so that his father and his brother might read it, but … he's concerned about what the public might think about him based on what the press has stated over time.”

In the days since the book’s publication, some media attention has focused on errors or apparent inconsistencies with events on the public record — for example, Harry is not, as Spare says, a direct descendant of King Henry VI.

“Harry admits early on that memory can be a struggle for him,” said Harris. “And yet at the same time he insists his memories are every bit as valid as objective truth.”

Throughout the book, Harry reveals a number of personal interests. He talks of how, for example, he wanted to be a ski instructor or a safari guide.

“Many readers have felt that those scenes where he's in South Africa or in Lesotho — the narrative really comes to life,” said Harris. “So perhaps including more about those experiences where Harry's speaking with confidence, rather than royal history, which is clearly an uncomfortable subject that he never excelled in — that might have been an approach that would have avoided some of the controversies.”

Buckingham Palace has remained silent on Harry’s book. For Charles and William, it was business as usual on Thursday as they carried out public engagements with nary a mention of the recent turmoil or direct response to questions about Spare.

One question looming large over the book — and the future of the Royal Family — is the fate of the relationships Harry has with his father and his brother.

“I think there can be a reconciliation somewhere, but not till much further down the line,” Vanity Fair royal correspondent Katie Nicholl told the CBC’s Adrienne Arsenault.

Nicholl thinks there are two reconciliations to consider.

“The first will be with the King. I think we’re going to see him extend an olive branch. I expect we will see him invite the Sussexes to the coronation. This idea of a rift at the heart of the House of Windsor is not what he wants,” she said.

With William, however, Nicholl expects any reconciliation will be harder to achieve.

“I think William has been deeply hurt, a great sense of betrayal. William … simply cannot understand why Harry left and how he left, and Harry can’t understand why his brother isn’t on more of his wavelength, so there is a real divide.”

Harris sees another potential impact on the Royal Family out of Spare, one linked to its title and reference to the person who is the younger sibling of the heir to the throne.

“I think the lasting impact of this memoir will be prompting these larger discussions about what the role of the spare should be,” Harris said.

“For King Charles III and for William and Catherine looking forward, they're going to be looking to what roles will Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis play … in a streamlined Royal Family.”