Prince Harry: Memoir is about saving royals from themselves
LONDON — Prince Harry has said he had enough material for two memoirs, but that he held back because he didn’t think his father and brother would “ever forgive” him.
In an interview with British newspaper The Telegraph published Saturday, he also said that releasing his memoir wasn’t an attempt “to collapse the monarchy. This is about trying to save them from themselves.”
Michael Sohn, Associated Press
Copies of the book by Prince Harry called "Spare" are displayed Tuesday at a book store in Berlin, Germany.
“And I know that I will get crucified by numerous people for saying that,” he said.
Harry’s candid autobiography, “Spare,” sold 1.4 million English-language copies on the first day it was published. Many of its revelations and accusations were splashed across the global media this week. In the book, the 38-year-old revealed how his grief at the death of his mother, Princess Diana, affected him, and saw Harry detail his resentment at being the “spare to the heir.”
“It could have been two books, put it that way,” Harry said in the interview. “But there are some things that have happened, especially between me and my brother, and to some extent between me and my father, that I just don’t want the world to know. Because I don’t think they would ever forgive me.”
Harry also said in the interview that he worried about William’s children, saying he felt “a responsibility knowing that out of those three children, at least one will end up like me, the spare. And that hurts, that worries me.”
He said he felt this way despite William making it clear to him that “his kids are not my responsibility.”
Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace haven’t commented on Harry’s book or his string of media interviews to publicize it.
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John Redman
Princess Diana of Wales smiles as she sits with her sons, Princes Harry, front, and William, on the steps of the Royal Palace on the island of Majorca, Spain, Aug. 9, 1987, where the British Royal family is on holiday with the Spanish King Juan Carlos and his family. (AP Photo/John Redman)
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AP
Britain's Prince Charles and Princess Diana and their sons, Princes William, right, and Harry begin a cycle ride, June 1, 1989, around the island of Tresco, one of the Scilly Isles. The royal family was vacationing in the islands, located off the southwest tip of Britain. (AP Photo)
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Peter Kemp/WPA
Prince Harry, left, and prince William line up with their father, Prince Charles, in the classic Windsor stance with their hands behind their backs, at Kensington Palace, London, on June 29, 1989. They were waiting for Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands to arrive for a military Beating of the Retreat parade. (AP Photo/Kemp)
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David Brauchli
FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 5, 1997 file photo Britain's Prince Charles, right, accompanies his sons Prince William, left and Prince Harry after they arrived at Kensington Palace to view tributes left in memory of their mother Princess Diana in London. Prince Charles is sandwiched between generations, caught between his mother, a symbol of dignity and continuity who has reigned since 1952, and his two immensely popular sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, who have along with their wives come to symbolize the future of the world’s best known monarchy. (AP Photo/David Brauchli, File)
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Jeff J. Mitchell
FILE - In this Sept. 6, 1997 file photo, from left, Britain's Prince Philip, Prince William, Earl Spencer, Prince Harry and Prince Charles walk outside Westminster Abbey during the funeral procession for Diana, Princess of Wales. Buckingham Palace officials say Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, has died, it was announced on Friday, April 9, 2021. He was 99. Philip spent a month in hospital earlier this year before being released on March 16 to return to Windsor Castle. Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, married Elizabeth in 1947 and was the longest-serving consort in British history. (AP Photo/Jeff J. Mitchell, Pool, File)
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Arthur Edwards
FILE - In this Monday, June 3, 2002 file photo, Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry enjoy the Party at the Palace concert in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, London, as the second concert to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. Britain's royal officials said Thursday April 26, 2018, Prince Harry has asked elder brother Prince William to be best man at his wedding when he marries U.S. actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on May 19. (AP Photo/Arthur Edwards/Pool)
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Lefteris Pitarakis
FILE - In this Wednesday April 12, 2006 file photo, Britain's Prince William, left, and Prince Harry attend The Sovereign's Parade at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, England. Britain's royal officials said Thursday April 26, 2018, Prince Harry has asked elder brother Prince William to be best man at his wedding when he marries U.S. actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on May 19. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, File)
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Kirsty Wigglesworth
FILE - In this June 18, 2009 file photo, Britain's Prince William, left, and Prince Harry pose during a photocall at the Royal Air Force base at Shawbury, England. Military service is a tradition for the men of Britain's royal family, but combat has been off-limits for the next in line of succession. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)
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ARTHUR EDWARDS / THE SUN
Britain's Princes William, left, and Harry talk together at the opening of a fountain built in memory of their mother, the late Princess of Wales, in London's Hyde Park, Tuesday July 6, 2004. The 3.6 pound million creation at the side of the Serpentine has been surrounded by controversy - facing delays and over-running its budget by 600,000 pound. The Princess died in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.(AP Photo/Arthur Edwards, The Sun, pool)
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ANDREW PARSONS
Prince William, left, and his brother Prince Harry, pose with young particpants before taking part in the Sport Relief London Mile, Saturday July 10, 2004. Prince Harry was prevented from running by an injured knee in training. More than 70,000 people in Britain have signed up to run a mile for charity at 144 official events to raise money to tackle poverty and help disadvantaged people in the UK and abroad in an event organised by Comic Relief and BBC Sport. A five hour television special featuring stars of sport and screen will also air Saturday.. (AP Photo/ Andrew Parsons, Pool)
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ADAM BUTLER
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Jerome Delay
Britain's Prince William, right, and Prince Harry pose for photographers on the eve of the start of the Enduro Africa charity ride in Port Edward, South Africa, Friday Oct. 17, 2008. The two heirs to the British throne will compete in the week long motorcycle challenge, and will raise money for UNICEF, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and the charity Sentebale, supporting orphans and vulnerable children in Lesotho, founded by Prince Harry. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, pool)
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Shayne Robinson
FILE - In this Tuesday, June 15, 2010 file photo, Britain's Princes William, right and Prince Harry pose with an African Rock Python at the Mokolodi nature reserve near Gaborone, Botswana. Britain's royal officials said Thursday April 26, 2018, Prince Harry has asked elder brother Prince William to be best man at his wedding when he marries U.S. actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on May 19.(AP Photo/Shayne Robinson, File)
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Lewis Whyld
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Alastair Grant
Britain's Prince William, left, and his best man Britain's Prince Harry arrive at Westminster Abbey at the Royal Wedding in London Friday, April, 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
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Kirsty Wigglesworth
FILE - In this Sunday Nov. 8, 2015 file photo, Britain's Prince William, right, and Prince Harry attend the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in London. Senior royals must wear civilian clothes to Prince Philip’s funeral, defusing potential tensions over who would be allowed to don military uniforms. Queen Elizabeth II's decision means Prince Harry won’t risk being the only member of the royal family not in uniform during the funeral on Saturday April 17, 2021 for his grandfather, who died last week at the age of 99. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)
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Frank Augstein
FILE - In this file photo dated Friday, May 18, 2018, Britain's Prince William, right, and Prince Harry return to Windsor Castle after greeting crowds in Windsor, England. Prince Harry will attend the funeral for Prince Philip on Saturday April 17, and many observers believe that the funeral will provide an ideal opportunity for “The Firm” to show a united front to the world and for the brothers to smooth over tensions.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein, FILE)
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Matt Dunham
FILE - In this file photo dated Tuesday, July 10, 2018, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, and from left, Meghan the Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate the Duchess of Cambridge, watch as Royal Air Force aircraft pass over Buckingham Palace in London. Prince Harry will attend the funeral for Prince Philip on Saturday April 17, the first time that Harry will come face to face with the royal family since he and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, stepped away from royal duties last March and moved to California with their young son, Archie.(AP Photo/Matt Dunham, FILE)
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Alastair Grant
FILE - In this file photo dated Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, Britain's Prince Harry, right, races to the line against Prince William, and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, left, during a training event to promote their charity Heads Together, at the Queen Elizabeth II Park in London. Many observers believe that the upcoming funeral for Prince Philip, on Saturday April 17, 2021, will provide an ideal opportunity for the brothers to smooth over tensions.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)
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Alastair Grant
FILE - In this file photo dated Saturday, May 19, 2018, Britain's Prince Harry, left, arrives with his best man Prince William for his wedding ceremony to Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. When Prince Harry attends Prince Philip’s funeral on Saturday April 17, many be watching for signs of reconciliation between Prince Harry and his family, especially with his elder brother Prince William. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, FILE)
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Frank Augstein
FILE - In this Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2018 file photo, with from left, Britain's Prince William, Kate Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, arrive to attend the Christmas day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, England. Prince Harry will attend the funeral for Prince Philip on Saturday April 17, the first time that Harry will come face to face with the royal family since he and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, stepped away from royal duties last March and moved to California.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein, file)
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Dominic Lipinski
Prince Harry, left, and Prince William stand together during the unveiling of a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski /Pool Photo via AP, File)
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Kirsty O'Connor
FILE - From left, Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Kate, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meet members of the public at Windsor Castle, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, in Windsor, England, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. (Kirsty O'Connor/Pool Photo via AP, Fil)
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Jon Super
Prince Harry and Prince William, left, follow the hearse with the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II moving towards St. George's Chapel at the Windsor Castle, in Windsor, England, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Jon Super, Pool)
