This review contains affiliate links, which earn me a small commission when you click and purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my small business and allowing me to continue providing you a reliable resource for clean book ratings.
Honestly, I was torn on whether I wanted to read the memoir Spare by Prince Harry. Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have been everywhere the past couple of years. (I am referring to their own planned appearances in various media.) Did I want to play into all that (with my dollars and attention)? Did I even care to hear more than has already been reported? Ultimately, I decided I should at least read this book for the purposes of reviewing on Rated Reads, so I paid for a Kindle copy and dove in.
The second son, the “spare” to his brother William’s “heir,” of King Charles III tells his story from childhood to his life today. And, really, much of it was interesting. Most compelling were the chapters about his time in the military. Prince Harry felt most comfortable and in his element as a soldier, and that is apparent as he tells about his training and his two stints in Afghanistan. It also makes it clear why he is so driven now in his charitable work to support veterans. The Invictus Games, supporting soldiers who battle PTSD and other mental health issues…these endeavors are deeply personal.
A book’s worth of sharing his (and loved ones’) constant harassment by paparazzi and raw treatment by the press also drove home to me more than just reading a few interviews here and there just how difficult that’s been for him. How powerless it made him feel to protect his family. When I’m driving or my husband is driving, I get agitated about being too close to cars in front of me/us (or being tailgated) because I’ve been rear-ended (and then smashed into the car in front of me) twice in the past few years. Not my fault; I had no control over what happened.
I can’t imagine the kind of anxiety and fear he experiences as a result of every single scary interaction he’s had for years with paparazzi, not the least of which is knowing that his mother was killed because “paps” in cars were chasing her car at high speeds. It may seem like a “first-world problem,” which a good amount of his book does contain, but it sure isn’t an inconsequential one. (This, along with a few other parts of his memoir, is also why I can appreciate why he is scared, angry and stunned about the monarchy taking away bodyguards/personal protection for him and his family.)
He refused to truly accept his mother’s death as real for more than a decade. Through much of this memoir, Prince Harry expresses that he thought she had faked her death and was in hiding. And he understood why she would do so. It was a coping mechanism he held onto for a length of time that seemed a bit unusual and concerning.
On to family: aside from the fact that they’re royal, wealthy, and watched by everyone around the globe, the Windsors are not much different than any other family. His physical fight with William? OK, and? Brothers do that sometimes. Misunderstandings galore, family who are distant, hurt and stress… all, unfortunately, not at all unusual. It’s sad to read but not distressing. I think, though, what surprised me (and made me a bit heartbroken for him) was that he NEVER HUGGED HIS GRANDMA. By all accounts, including this memoir, he and his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, had a wonderful, loving relationship. But hugging was out of the question. I can’t imagine. That’s just me: I’m huggy.
On the topic of Meghan: he is absolutely besotted with her. Crazy in love. He worships her. I had thought highly of her for the first few years of her being introduced into his life/the spotlight, but after their interview with Oprah, I was skeptical. This book, his words praising her left and right and trying to make sure everyone knows how amazing she is, doesn’t change my skepticism. I think he still sees her through rose-colored glasses; he doesn’t seem to consider she is anything but faultless. (Let’s face it, no one is perfect, and much of the time if there are disagreements and misunderstandings, it involves both parties, in some proportions).
I get that Harry wants to set the record straight. I think any of us who have been wronged and misinformation shared about us with others want to be able to get the truth out there (our truth, you could say). And he has the clout to do that, with the entire world. I’m not sure, as many others are saying, that his sharing so much is a good idea if he wants to be reconciled to his family and have the closeness with them he desires. But what’s done is done. It will be interesting to see what plays out in the coming years.
All in all, Prince Harry’s book Spare is compelling in many ways, and I recommend it if you’re in the least bit interested.
Rated: High. Profanity includes 16 uses of strong language, around 40 instances of moderate profanity, around 35 uses of mild language, and about 20 instances of the name of Deity in vain. There are 20 instances of British (bl-) profanity. Sexual content includes a brief mention that the author lost his virginity and repeated references over a couple of chapters to his privates being frostnipped after going to the North Pole. There are some other vulgar/crude references throughout. There is a good amount of alcohol and drug use throughout. Violence includes a physical fight between brothers and discussion of danger, fatalities and injuries when he was stationed in Afghanistan.
