- Daniela Relph and Bernadette Kitterick
- Royal Correspondents, BBC News
Jan 14, 2023, 10:32 p.m. 03
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Harry gives details about his relationship with his family in his book
On January 10th, ‘Spare’ (‘O que Sobra’ in the Portuguese edition), Prince Harry’s longawaited and controversial autobiography, went on sale.
In the book, the son of now King Charles 3rd talks about various aspects of his personal life: his childhood, the death of his mother, his rebellious youth, the uneasy departure from the royal family after his marriage to actress Meghan Markle and the complicated relationship with his brother William and his father, among others.
But which members of the British royal family were portrayed the worst in Harry’s autobiography?
King Charles 3
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King Charles comes out best in the book
The depiction of Charles III. is mostly friendly. Of the entire royal family, he is the best.
Prince Harry’s comments about his father cover ground we already knew. They reinforce the image that many have of him.
He describes “Pa” as a sensitive and hardworking man who struggled to connect emotionally with Harry after Diana’s death.
But the king is now the boss and, while avoiding the worst, must decide how to deal with the attacks on other family members.
What Harry says about the Queen Consort Camilla will be hard for his father to swallow. If there is to be any kind of reconciliation, it has to come from above.
All olive branches must probably first be offered by the king. And now, publicly, there is no sign of it.
Camilla, the Queen’s consort
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Harry at least acknowledges the happiness and peace Camilla has brought to his father.
It’s been a rocky road for Camilla, the Queen Consort. But Harry’s opinion of his stepmother is also full of contradictions.
He directs much of his anger at her, accusing her of courting the tabloids to improve her public image, describing it as “rogue.” A strategy that, in his opinion, made him “dangerous”.
It’s a complicated story for a woman who has never enjoyed widespread public support.
At the same time, in another chapter and in a reply during the interview, the tone is softer, even loving and full of admiration. He recognizes the happiness and peace she brought to his father and praises her work with victims of domestic violence.
For Harry, Camilla is a confusing person.
William, Prince of Wales
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Harry’s greetings to his brother William do not fit the public image of him as kind, affable and sensitive.
Prince William is the target of harsh and repeated criticism. The book changed the way we look at brothers Willy and Harold’s relationship, now that we know their names.
Things haven’t been going so well lately. But they were brothers, bound by loss and dependent on one another. It is not so?
According to Harry, it doesn’t appear to be the case. Tensions between them go back decades, he says, ignored by William at Eton School, privately usurped as best man at his brother’s wedding and then attacked by him in the kitchen. Sometimes the writing radiates anger and sometimes evil.
William appears in the work as the angry, frustrated, and downtrodden older brother. It doesn’t fit with his public image as a likeable, affable, sensitive king.
Kensington Palace has not responded to anything Harry wrote. Instead, we see William letting his actual work do the talking. do your duty. Focus on vulnerable communities. And trying to escape the fuss the book has caused. If it is possible.
Kate, Princess of Wales
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Kate references are insightful
There’s a lot about Kate vs. Meghan in the book. For Harry, his sisterinlaw is always Kate.
References to her are often personal and arise from memories of private moments. In that respect they are instructive.
Harry didn’t like the media, which portrayed the two women as rivals, but this is the context in which the Princess of Wales is often discussed in his book.
A tense and formal Kate is reported at work alongside an open and barefoot Meghan.
Kate dislikes hugs, dislikes sharing lip gloss and, according to Harry, there was an infamous misconception about bridesmaid dresses.
It’s hard to imagine that this wouldn’t cause personal harm to the Princess of Wales, especially as it reveals elements of her private life and that of her children, who she has been fiercely protective of.
Just like her husband, don’t expect public reactions. Rather, she will let her public commitments speak for themselves.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
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There’s less in the book about the Duchess than meets the eye
To her husband she is Meg. She changed Harry’s life. The Duchess features less in the book and interviews than one might think.
Much of Harry’s memoir covers his life before Meghan. But her influence and impact shine through as soon as she enters the scene. He says writing the book would have been “logistically, physically, emotionally and spiritually” impossible without her.
The book should solidify opinions about Meghan. For some, Harry was rescued by her and escaped into a life of freedom and immense happiness.
For others, she distanced him from duty and family and will never be forgiven. Media coverage is unlikely to change minds this week.
Harry, Duke of Sussex
Where to start No one expected him to hold back. His story, his words were the playing field.
But this story is more graphic. These most intimate words and his hatred of the British tabloids are more intense than expected. Writing the book was both a “painful” and “cathartic” experience for him.
The book will now be an obstacle that will stand in the way of the reconciliation that Harry wants with his family. Finding a ceasefire now seems unthinkable. The trust is broken.
In his interviews, Harry said he hadn’t spoken to his father or brother in a while. There is sadness here, but things have gotten personal and this is not a comfortable position for the royal family.
Interest in Harry and Meghan remains high, but it’s hard to tell if it will hold up in the coming months and years after their story comes to light.
the real winners
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The press gathered at a London bookshop as Harry’s ‘Spare’ book went on sale at midnight on January 10, 2023
In addition to a few royals, there are a handful of other winners.
The book’s publisher, Penguin Random House, has a bestseller on sale in January, when sales normally pause after Christmas.
It was also a lucrative project for the British broadcaster ITV. Interview with Harry has already been sold in 77 territories around the world, from France to New Zealand.
The power of therapy is mentioned often, which Harry credits to enable him to face the past and write his memoir. The book’s acknowledgments also point to Harry’s team: physical therapists, acupuncturists, Pilates teachers, chiropractors, personal trainers, and an energy specialist. He thanks everyone for keeping him strong mentally and physically over the years.
And among those receiving an unexpected publicity boost are beard lovers. The other BBC, the British Beard Club, is considering asking Prince Harry to become a patron, or at least a courtesy member, after writing for beards in his book.
It’s been a busy week with information about the royal family.