Ever since officially leaving the royal family, Prince Harry has made it his mission to be transparent with the public about the difficulties he and his wife, Meghan Markle, experienced within the institution. Among them was their Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021 and in 2022, the release of their Netflix docuseries “Harry & Meghan,” chronicling the pair’s romantic journey and experiences under intense public scrutiny. This has been followed by “Spare,” Harry’s memoir whose title originates from claims the prince learned that after he was born, his father, King Charles III, had told his mother, Princess Diana, shortly after his birth that she had “given me an heir and a spare.”
Harry’s memoir, released on Jan. 10, 2023, comprised a plethora of explosive allegations. Among them were that he was in denial through much of his childhood about the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in a car crash in 1997, and that it was his brother, Prince William, and his wife, Kate Middleton, who had encouraged him to wear the infamous nazi uniform for a costume party in 2005. Among the biggest bombshells Harry revealed was that he had come to physical blows with William in a heated argument about Harry’s wife, Meghan.
In the run-up to the release of his memoir “Spare,” Prince Harry has been busy promoting the tell-all, including by granting an interview on ITV News with journalist Tom Bradby aired on Jan. 9, 2022. In the discussion, Harry opened up about the trials and tribulations detailed in his book about his life in the British royal family, including his now fraught relationship with his brother Prince William and their altercations in the past. Harry also took to “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” to show the host a precious item damaged during the brawl.
Prince Harry and Prince William have been unable to escape constant comparisons. Having lived their entire lives in the public eye, the brothers have sought comfort in knowing they were both largely going through many of the same experiences. This has made them close, particularly in their youth. However, as the two have grown and started their own families, many say they are drifting apart.
Harry’s memoir unveiled a host of bombshells and revelations about the British royal household and Harry’s experiences within its hallowed halls. Among them were insights into Harry’s relationship with Prince William and Kate, as well as their frosty behavior towards his wife, Meghan.
The Guardian released an early excerpt of “Spare,” which detailed an alleged physical altercation between Prince Harry and Prince William. In the excerpt, Harry wrote that while at Nottingham Cottage, his older brother physically assaulted him after he called Meghan “rude” and “abrasive,” before accusing her of having “alienated half the staff.”
“(William) set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out,” Harry wrote.
Harry later told Bradby that William “wanted me to hit him back, but I chose not to. But again, so much of the relationship between me and William and the way it played out was because of the narrative – the distorted narrative – that was being pushed through the British press. And some people within his office were feeding him utter nonsense.”
On Jan. 11, 2023, Harry appeared on the talk show program “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” to share more details about his memoir and the troubling events detailed in them. The discussion soon turned to Harry’s claim his brother physically attacked him.
“There’s a lot of talk about the physical fight that the two of you had,” Colbert said before asking, “it says it broke your necklace. What necklace is this?”
Harry then pulled out a necklace to show the talk show host, saying, “This one, which is now fixed.” The accessory comprised three silver-colored pendants on a black rope chain. Harry then went on to explain that two of the rectangular pendants were gifts from his wife Meghan and were engraved with cardiograms – “my kids’ heartbeats” – of his children, Archie and Lilibet.
“And a friend of mine in Botswana made this for me, which has got tiger’s eye in the middle,” Harry continued, gesturing to the third circular pendant.
Unlike the British press, which has roundly criticized Harry since the release of his tell-all, comments from viewers of “The Late Show” clip sided heavily in favor of the Prince.
“Good for Harry, breaking free, breaking cycles and allowing himself to be fully human and embracing all emotions the pain, the joy, the good, the bad and everything in between,” one viewer commented.
Many also lauded Harry for making the move to the United States. “I feel horrible for the way you were treated and still are treated. I wish you and Meg and your children all the best in life. I’m happy that you are here in the US with us,” a viewer wrote, while another said, “I think Diana would be very proud of him. I am glad he brought his family to America.”
What do you think of Prince Harry’s decision to reveal such personal details about the royal family? How do you feel about his and Prince William’s deteriorating relationship? Let us know, and pass this along to your family and friends, too.
