Heir and ‘Spare’: Prince Harry announces update on his long-awaited and ‘raw’ memoir

Penguin Random House has confirmed that Prince Harry's memoir will be released early next year. Source: Getty

The world will soon have an “intimate” and “heartfelt” look into the life of Prince Harry as his highly anticipated memoir, Spare, has been set for worldwide distribution in January.

The Duke of Sussex has promised his forthcoming memoir would be a “firsthand account” of his life that’s “accurate and wholly truthful”.

Spare takes “readers immediately back to one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror”, publisher Penguin Random House announced in a statement.

“Penguin Random House is honoured to be publishing Prince Harry’s candid and emotionally powerful story for readers everywhere. He shares a remarkably moving personal journey from trauma to healing, one that speaks to the power of love and will inspire and encourage millions of people around the world,” Markus Dohle, Penguin Random House CEO said.

The 416-page book – with its title referencing Prince Harry being the royal “spare” and unlikely to ascend to the throne – will cover all aspects of the Duke’s life, from growing up in the public eye, to his military service, to marrying Meghan Markle and becoming a father to Archie and Lilibet.

“I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man, I have become,” Prince Harry said.

“I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story — the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned — I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.”

While Buckingham Place is yet to make a comment regarding the Duke’s book, royalists have already gone to social media to share their thoughts on the upcoming memoir.

It is understood that book was intended to be released this year but was rumoured to have been delayed as Harry was having second thoughts about exposing his family in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September.

The release of Harry’s memoir would mark the second time the former working royal has willingly discussed his private life, following his bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.

During the Oprah interview, Harry described royal life as a “mixture between The Truman Show and being in a zoo” and opened up about Prince Charle’s parenting style.

“I don’t think we should be pointing the finger or blaming anybody, but certainly when it comes to parenting, if I’ve experienced some form of pain or suffering because of the pain or suffering that perhaps my father or my parents had suffered, I’m going to make sure I break that cycle so that I don’t pass it on,” he said.

Since stepping down from royal duties in 2020 the Sussexes have been mostly estranged from the Royal Family.

Meanwhile, Markle has since said she has “made an active effort” to make peace with the Royal Family, despite previously claiming that her mere existence is “upsetting the dynamic” of The Firm.

Spare will be officially released on January 10, 2023.