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.

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 was under intense scrutiny after the photo was published in The Sun. 

This one was a true story. But some of his other media scandals? Not so much. For instance, . The stories of him being a drug-addict and a cheater during school examinations were forged and leaked to the press. By his OWN family members, no less. Yup, Charles and sometimes Camilla, his second wife, approved damaging press leaks about Harry and Williams. Their spin-doctor had orchestrated a deal with the tabloids of using rumors of Harry’s drug use to deflect attention from Charles’ own struggles. Choose one from the following: “An unfaithful husband” or “A single dad dealing with a drug-addled child.” No brainer, right? Give them an inch, they take a mile, huh? 

Similarly, the news report quoting Harry and Meghan’s decision to leave England was something, Harry thinks, came from the palace, too. The article in The Sun talked about them giving up their Sussex titles. This detail was only in a letter he wrote to his father. Very few people had seen this letter. They hadn't even told their best friends about it. Doesn’t take a genius to join those dots!

So, obviously, It’s no surprise that Harry has had an antagonistic relationship with the journalists and photographers. They were the ever-present pesters. He had often gone to great lengths just to avoid them which once included willingly stuffing himself in the coffin-like boot of the car while driving back from a pub just so he could avoid being photographed. 

What’s worse is that the British press didn’t pester him alone. The way they treated Meghan, Harry’s wife and the first member of color in the British Monarchy, was far from kind. You’ll know more about it in the next section.

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 the pressure of being a royal. Does a woman like that exist? Well, Harry sincerely hoped for one because he really wanted to start a family – the one he never had but wanted to. 

In 2016, at 32, his stars smiled at him when he met Meghan Markle, whom he calls Meg. He describes first seeing her on a friend’s Instagram post: “I’d never seen anyone so beautiful. Why should beauty feel like a punch to the throat?” The two began dating soon. And of course, it was an apocalypse! Her mixed-race background was picked on the most. What if the monarchy had a multiracial child! Oh, the horror! A musing as gossip but extremely hurtful. 

Even his brother, William, made things difficult. William “predicted a host of difficulties I could expect if I hooked up with an ‘American actress,’ a phrase he always managed to make sound like ‘convicted felon.’ ” Nevertheless, Harry and Meg tied the knot in 2018 and soon started a family. Their son arrived a year later, followed by a daughter in 2021. Things were ugly deep down when Meghan was pregnant with her first child. They got to a point where Meg had suicidal thoughts, sitting and sobbing on the staircase, where Harry would find her. He comforted her and promised for things to be better, safer and happier.

But how was he going to do it? Will his family help him? Or will someone else step up?

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.