When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided to leave the Royal Family, they expressed a desire for more freedom and the chance to give their children a life with more alternatives than if they’d grown up as royals.
In his tell-all memoir, Spare, Harry shared his thoughts on his own upbringing in the royal sphere, a life that, clearly, wasn’t for him in the end.
In his book, Harry mentioned how he believed that, as the book’s title confers, he was the “spare” member in his family. He even claims he knew he was born in case his big brother William needed blood or an organ donation.
As the second-born, Harry was obviously behind William in the line of succession, just as William and Kate’s daughter, Princess Charlotte, and youngest son, Prince Louis, are. In an interview with The Telegraph, Harry now says he’s concerned that the two siblings will “end up” just like him.
The reaction to Harry’s book Spare has been visceral. No matter what readers think, it has definitely put the Prince in the spotlight once again. He was said to have gotten $20 million for the book contract alone, but despite the hefty figure, his publisher Penguin Random House are set to make far more.
According to Harry’s publisher, Spare is on its way to setting new records. The book sold 400,000 copies on the first day across physical, e-book, and audio formats.
“We always knew this book would fly, but it is exceeding even our most bullish expectations,” Larry Finlay, managing director of Transworld Penguin Random House, said.
“As far as we know, the only books to have sold more in their first day are those starring the other Harry (Potter).”
On the UK Amazon site, Harry’s memoir is already the top-selling publication. It’s now expected to be the biggest seller of 2023.
On Thursday, Penguin Random House released more stats, revealing that Spare sold 1.4 million copies on its first day in the UK, United States, and Canada. It was released in a total of 16 languages worldwide.
Parts of the book were widely leaked before its release, but its contents have continued to fill airtime and pages both in traditional newspapers and online.
“Vulnerable and heartfelt, brave and intimate, Spare is the story of someone we may have thought we already knew, but now we can truly come to understand Prince Harry through his own words,” President and publisher of the Random House Group, Gina Centrello, said.
“Looking at these extraordinary first day sales, readers clearly agree, Spare is a book that demands to be read, and it is a book we are proud to publish,” she added.
On its website, Guinness World Records have announced that Harry’s tell-all book has become the fastest-selling non-fiction book of all time.
The official number of its first day of sales in the UK, US, and Canada was 1.43 million copies. That meant that Harry surpassed the record held by Barack Obama’s fourth book, A Promised Land, which sold 887,000 copies on its release day.
Even though the book has been an enormous success, it might have been at a high price for Harry. Reports state that his family – whose relationship with Harry has been greatly damaged over recent years – have decided not to comment on the book.
Both Prince William and King Charles have reportedly chosen not to read Spare. However, they most likely have gotten all information they need from their aides.
King Charles will officially be crowned as Britain’s new monarch in just four months. The historic event will take place on May 6 – the date that also happens to be Harry and Meghan’s son Archie’s birthday – in Westminster Abbey. Needless to say, it’s going to be a grand affair, but whether or not the Sussexes will be invited remains unclear.
In an interview with the Telegraph, Harry made it clear that he’s demanding an apology from his family.
He also accused them of treating him as if he was “delusional and paranoid.”
“He’s never wrong about anything”
When asked if he’d attend the coronation, Harry said: “There is a lot that can happen between now and then. But, you know, the door is always open. The ball is in their court.”
He added: “There’s a lot to be discussed, and I really hope that they are willing to sit down and talk about it.”
Only time will tell if Harry and Meghan will attend King Charles’ coronation. Yet even if the Prince is invited, royal historian Hugo Vickers, a friend of the royals, predicts that he won’t accept the invitation.
“Harry has made it clear that he has certain conditions before he will accept any invitation,” he told Page Six.