Clover Lau (11) | STAFF REPORTER
Prince Harry’s long-awaited memoir, Spare, hit the shelves on January 10th, and it’s already on its way to becoming one of the best-selling nonfiction books ever, with first-day sales coming up to 1.4 million copies sold.
While the publication and release of Spare were clouded in controversy, one undeniable remains obvious and true: People want to hear what Prince Harry has to say about the ins and outs and the secrets of the centuries-old constitution that is the British monarchy.
The controversy surrounding the publication of Spare stems from the British monarchy’s motto of “Don’t complain, don’t explain”. Some people see Prince Harry’s memoir as an attack against the establishment and as a betrayal. And indeed, Prince Harry works hard to strip away any mystique that the British monarchy tries to maintain in his memoir.
He takes us all the way back to his childhood when he first finds out about his mother, Princess Diana’s, terrible accident and walks us through pivotal moments in his life leading up to where he is presently.
He doesn’t hold anything back, openly discussing the scars his mother’s untimely death left him with, the painful and tumultuous relationship he shares with his brother, Prince William, the complicated relationship the monarchy shares with the British press, and the toxic levels of racism expressed against him and his biracial wife, Meghan Markle, which forced them to flee the country out of fear for their lives.
There are shocking revelations mixed with quiet moments of contemplation in Prince Harry’s memoir. Spare is a very interesting, compelling, and eye-opening read, and it’s easy to understand the panic coming from the British monarchy.
When the theatrics and grandeur are stripped away to reveal its bare bones, there is nothing truly esteemed or regal about Britain’s royals. Instead, the truth of a deeply troubled and fractured family is presented, held up only by the diminishing ancient traditions.
