Royals – the embodiment of extravagance, adorning crowns studded with never-seen-before-mammoth-diamonds and pigeon-egg sized emeralds, reigning from their majestic thrones, drowning in expensive regalia, and chauffeured around in luxury cars. That’s the world of the Royals. And then, there’s the British Royal Family. Even among the royals, they have a knack for splashing colors of drama, gossip and scandals on the otherwise heavily guarded gates of Buckingham Palace.
Between all the hush-hush, a young “Spare” walks out these gates and shares stories from within these walls – some astonishing, never heard before; some confirming the rumors; and the rest just explaining and justifying his actions. Love the royal family, hate them , or be neutral, but the memoir “Spare” by Prince Harry is going to reveal a new side to the stories. From the death of Princess Diana, to the rivalry between Meghan and Kate, to the love / hate relationship between Princes William and Harry – scandals that you couldn’t miss even if you were a caveman. His stepping down from royal duties and leaving the country. Betrayal or an effort to escape from royal life? Prepare for candid revelations on all this, and much more as we dive into the mystery behind “Spare”!
Let’s get started.
Summary
Looking back, a recurring theme haunts Harry's life: the relentless media focus on the royals. This scrutiny, he feels, fuels discord within the family.
To many loyal Royalties, it's a bitter pill to swallow that Harry and Meghan felt forced to leave. Yet, there have been moments of triumphs too. Harry has finally come to terms with his mother's death. And, most importantly, he found love and built his own family, a dream that once seemed impossible.
Harry may be known as "the Spare," but the spare dared to spare himself a chance to forge his own path, living a life on his own terms.
The ‘extra’-ordinary life of a royal
Something that presumably started off as an alleged joke by Prince Charles, now the current Monarch, upon the birth of Harry turned into a constant echo in Harry’s life – an heir and a spare. That’s an aristocratic saying that an heir and a spare were needed to ensure the inheritance remained in the family, should the heir die. Harry being a spare to the heir, William or Willy as Harry would ‘lovingly’ call him, might seem harsh to us...
The grief of Diana's death
The nursery, one of the castle’s fifty bedrooms, was divided unequally into two. Willy occupied the larger half with a double bed and a splendid view. The spare was spared a modest portion. It was in this bedroom that he received the news of his mother’s death. It was an early morning of August 31, 1997. Harry was twelve. His Pa, as Harry would call Charles, stood at the edge of the bed, looked down and said, “ Darling boy,...
The antagonistic relationship of Harry and the press
Even if you’re not a ‘Royalie,’ like ‘Swifties,’ (get it?), you would have stumbled upon a headline or two about the infamous Nazi costume worn by Harry. He was 20 when he wore a Nazi costume, his arm etched with a Swastika band – a symbol of a very bad time in history, to a ‘native and colonial’ themed party, also attended by William. In fact, Kate and William had wholeheartedly approved Harry's ridiculous Nazi costume idea . Nevertheless, he...
The harassment continues for Harry and people close to him
Meghan was not the first woman in Harry’s life. There have been other girlfriends but they shared the same fate – leaving in the end. Were they cruel for leaving him? Well, imagine finding a tracking device on your car – being stalked everywhere you went. It’s not easy! The ever-watching eyes of the press on Harry meant he had to find a woman who could bear it all – the stalking and the harassment that comes tagging along with...
Harry always felt a hollow echo where his family's cheers should have been
“Do as I say, not as I do.” It’s a proverb that highlights the hypocrisy of someone setting different standards for themselves and others. It perfectly suits Charles and Williams. Why, you ask? A private letter of Meghan’s was published by a newspaper. Harry was furious. He wanted to sue the press just like Charles and Williams have done in the past but was talked out of it by the Palace. In the end, he still went ahead and sued...
More knowledge in less time
The Art of Community
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
About the Author
Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex is a husband, father, humanitarian, military veteran, mental wellness advocate, environmentalist, and bestselling author. He resides in Santa Barbara, California, with his family and three dogs. His memoir, Spare, was published on January 10th, 2023 and is the fastest selling nonfiction book of all time.
Thank you for registering with Storise.
Your journey with books and ideas begins now, anytime, anywhere.
You can now use your registered email to log in to the app.