Book Review: Spare by Prince Harry

 

I don't normally read things like this, but I needed to find out how out of context the leaks by the British press were. I'm very glad I did, and anybody that has an opinion about this book and the accompanying 'scandal' should go and buy the book

Harry has always had my admiration since he bravely spoke up about the challenges of mental illness, but at the same time I've often wondered about his stability and the honesty of his intentions in light of everything I've heard, mostly in passing, about his relationship with his family and with the press.

Firstly, my mother was an incredibly beautiful woman who died in her 40's. And I also had to deal with the knowledge, from a very young age, that I wouldn't likely ever be King, so I do feel some of his pain.

But, I don't have any idea what it's like to serve in the armed forces, or be a ginger, so in some ways he's actually had it worse than me.

Anyway, on with the book, by points of interest, in the order in which they interest me.

1. Uncle Andrew.

I was hoping, given that Andrew was the previous 'Spare', that there'd be more about him. And given the scandal and association with Jeffrey Epstein, but no, despite the many mentions in the press, Andrew is only mentioned in passing when talking about his security detail, and the fact that he'd kept his despite the scandal. Epstein isn't mentioned by name at all, only that Andrew had been accused of sexual assault. That's it.
The only other mention of Andrew is about him and Charles holding pilots licences, and a very funny anecdote about Megan not recognising him, and thinking him to be the Queen's assistant. Harry notes: 'She definitely hadn’t googled us.' - Brilliant!

2. The Taliban Kills.

Harry 'boasting' about killing 25 Taliban.

I don't know where to start.

This has really been chewed up by the media, spat out, eaten again and then vomited onto the front pages, not just recently, but also in 2014, when the media were first all over the story:

The press originally made this detail so public, not Harry.

Harry, on the other hand, had a hard time dealing with it, and that's clear from the passages in the book.

The reality: His base had been attacked by Taliban soldiers targeting him, because of the media not shutting the f**k up about his involvement. Two American soldiers lost their lives to Taliban Soldiers gunning for Harry because of the UK media.  the Australian, Murdoch owned magazine New Idea

You couldn't make it up.

And now, to make themselves feel better, they're trying to make him look like the bad guy and  insinuating that he's the source of reckless sharing of military secrets.

And people are getting angry at him, because they haven't read the book. FFS!

3. The.. Er.. royal Penises.

Again, so much had already been spread over the media, and some of it false, so this was, in part, just an attempt to reclaim the narrative.

The stories are quite funny, but I've spoiled enough. Suffice to say there's a story about delicately placed frostbite while walking to the north pole, and another about how that was thought (erroneously) to be the reason he'd had the snip.

There's so much in this book that needs to be properly clarified. I'm a little bit disappointed in the involvement of a ghostwriter, the language is beautiful and I want to believe the words are all his own.

4. The Media

What's most telling is his hatred of the media, and in particular, Rupert Murdoch.
His retelling of the fall of News of the World and the surrounding scandal, including the arrest of specific journalists who had made his life a misery, is very satisfying to read.

It becomes very clear as you read more, that the media, especially the Rupert Murdoch owned media, have been trying very hard to get in front of this and are hoping people won't read the book and discover that much of what they are saying is patent bulls**t.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would.

Buy the book, here on Amazon