Spare

Prince Harry's Spare reveals an intimate glimpse into the lives of the British royal family, whose members are often portrayed as untouchable personalities with no human frailties. In this autobiography, Harry opens up and speaks candidly about the joys and sorrows that come with the title of prince, but also with the role of 'understudy' - the one who always stands behind his elder brother, the heir to the throne. His words are raw, emotional and reveal the unfamiliar face of a prince who faces constant pressure from the media and the royal establishment. The book provides a glimpse of Harry's internal struggles and personal decisions that led up to his departure from the royal family, earning him his own freedom and a life independent of royal expectations. This gives the reader a glimpse behind the curtain and a glimpse of what lies behind the spotlight that constantly follows the royal family.

Harry tells the story of the loss of his mother, which meant more to him than just a change in his family environment - it was a defining moment that shaped his entire life. As a twelve-year-old boy he lost his beloved mother, Princess Diana, who tragically died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. This moment has remained indelibly etched in his memory, permeating his perception of the world, his relationships and, above all, his identity. Harry describes the profound emptiness and loneliness he felt after his mother's death. At her funeral, in front of millions of people around the world, he walked with his father Charles and brother William behind her coffin through the streets of London. While the crowd mourned the "Queen of Hearts," little Harry struggled to come to terms with an incomprehensible reality and questions that were never spoken aloud. In the eyes of the public, he appeared determined, but inside he felt a deep pain and a desperate desire to turn back time. The loss of his mother had a profound impact on his relationships and personality. Harry tried to find a substitute for Diana's presence in other relationships, but often felt abandoned and unappreciated. At this time he also began to feel some pressure from the royal family and the media, who did not consider him to be 'first in line' - he was merely a 'stand-in' for his brother William, who was heir to the throne. This feeling of inferiority marked him deeply. Throughout his adolescence, Harry was mired in an inner turmoil that was amplified by a tabloid press constantly on the hunt for sensationalism. This media had a powerful hold over his life, often intruding on private moments and disrupting his personal well-being. His every move was under scrutiny, which only accentuated his need for protection and security - something his mother had once provided. Examples include memories of various exams during his school years and private relationships that became public property. All the while, anger grew within him, not only at the media, but at the institution itself, which had failed to protect even its own blood. This anger, repressed deep inside, became the fuel for many of his later decisions. For Harry, the loss of Diana was not only the loss of his mother, but also the loss of security and support. Over time, he realised that although some family members were in a similar situation, each carried their own trauma and were trying to deal with it in their own way.

The book mainly focuses on Harry's life as a "Spare" - the feeling that he is always an afterthought in the family. From childhood, he was considered "the other" while his older brother William was the heir to the royal throne. This distinction, which was clearly defined not only in family circles but also in public, created in Harry a deep sense of inferiority that long prevented him from finding his own place in life. Being a 'surrogate' meant that Harry often had to adapt his decisions and life plans to what was appropriate for William as the future king. When his brother's position was discussed in the media or in family conversations, Harry felt that his own dreams and aspirations were undervalued. However, this relationship was not just about rivalry - the brothers spent a lot of time together and were supportive of each other. Together they experienced difficult times, such as the death of their mother, but they did not avoid the various tensions brought on by their different roles in the family. However, Harry's life as a 'surrogate' was not just about the responsibilities or restrictions placed on him by his family. He was often aware that the royal institution tended to separate individuals from their own identities, forcing them to conform to a larger picture. However, Harry's personal interests and values did not always align with the royal norm, resulting in internal conflicts that only reinforced the sense that he never quite fit into the family. In his relationship with William, Harry felt a mixture of respect and a certain dependence, but also a quiet frustration. He knew that his life would always be subject to his brother's fate, that he had to be ready to 'replace' him if the situation called for it. This invisible pressure manifested itself in many aspects of his adolescence, whether in relationships or in his career. Unlike William, he had freer options, but he also felt less of a support structure and protection from his family. These emotions led to Harry's desire for independence and to find his own way. As he was not constrained by the same rules as the heir to the throne, he was able to indulge in some excesses and rebellion, which was often used by the media to portray him as a 'wild prince'. However, this public perception only deepened his alienation as he realised that his true nature remained misunderstood by the media and the public. Harry's life as a 'surrogate' is not just a story of rivalry, but also of a search for his own identity in the shadow of the royal hierarchy. This struggle for self-determination, which manifests itself from childhood to adulthood, is one of the major themes that defines his life choices.

This chapter of the book tells the story of Harry's intense and often problematic relationship with the media, which played a crucial role in his life. From childhood he was the target of constant surveillance by tabloid journalists and paparazzi who documented his every move, whether it was in public or in private. Harry blames these media not only for the trouble they caused him, but also for the death of his mother, who was constantly hounded until her tragic end. In this section of the book he describes how the tabloid journalists treated his life as public property. It was not just the photographs, but the false and distorted stories that affected his reputation and image in the public eye. These articles often focused on his excesses and mistakes that young Harry had made during his teenage years. Many of these stories portrayed Harry as a 'troubled prince' and often overlooked his own achievements or positive activities, causing him to feel like an outsider. One of the most difficult times for him was when he was deployed in the army. Harry, who served as a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan, tried to lead as ordinary a military life as possible without the presence of the media. Despite this, tabloid newspapers constantly sought out his activities and even published information about his deployment, putting not only him but his colleagues at risk. This invasion of privacy under combat conditions was seen by Harry as particularly dangerous and irresponsible. Harry further recalled that the media often manipulated his relationships and private life, destroying his personal connections with people. Any new friendship or romantic relationship immediately made headlines, creating pressure not only on him but also on his partners and friends. Harry therefore learned to hide his relationships and maintain privacy as a protective shield, but in doing so he also restricted his own freedom and natural lifestyle. Harry also cites specific situations where the media directly interfered with his daily life - for example, by stalking him in the street or harassing his friends and family. Such behaviour aroused anger and frustration as he felt he would never escape their omnipresent lens. After years of constant pressure and ruthless interference, Harry realised that the media did not value his privacy, but rather the sensationalism they could create at his expense. This relationship with the media, which gradually turned into a war for his dignity and right to privacy, significantly influenced his decisions. It was reflected not only in his relationship with the public, but also in the serious steps he later took to protect himself and his family from this relentless media machine.

Military service became a period of great change and self-realization for Harry. For Harry, joining the army was not only an opportunity to move away from the label of 'royal rebel', but also to gain discipline, responsibility and a sense of purpose. The experience was one of the few ways for him to escape a public life that was constantly under the media and public scrutiny. Harry's path into the army was not an easy one - he had to meet strict physical and mental criteria, which were perhaps even more challenging for a member of the Royal Family, as everyone expected him to be exceptional. After a few months of hard training, however, Harry became an Apache helicopter pilot and was deployed to Afghanistan. There he found purpose and the opportunity to be himself - away from the royal court, where he was treated not as a prince but as an equal soldier. But serving in Afghanistan brought its own challenges and pitfalls. Harry had to face not only the dangers of combat, but also the constant pressure of a media that wanted to know every detail of his mission. When information about his location became public, Harry knew that this media coverage could endanger not only his own life, but also the safety of other soldiers. This moment deepened his pre-existing resentment of the media, which deprived him of the only place where he could be anonymous and act with a sense of real value. In the army, Harry gained something he had never found in his royal role - an authentic sense of belonging and respect. To many, Harry was 'one of them' and his colleagues saw him as a capable soldier, not a prince. This new-found identity gave him an inner strength and self-confidence that he took with him when he returned to civilian life. However, it was not easy to integrate back into royal duties after returning from Afghanistan. The struggles and traumas he had experienced had changed him, and Harry found himself conflicted between what the royal family commanded and what he considered his personal responsibility. During this period, Harry also began to struggle with post-traumatic stress, which changed his outlook on life and gave him the added impetus to find a new direction. Military service brought him not only experience and respect, but also a deeper understanding of himself. In a sense, this chapter prepared him for the steps he took later, when he decided to leave the royal family and protect his own independence and values.

Harry's relationship with Meghan Markle was a pivotal moment in his life. Their meeting brought not only a new love, but also challenges that Harry could not have imagined until then. Meghan, a successful actress and humanitarian, changed his outlook on life and helped him reassess his place in the royal family and in the world. But this relationship was not just a story of happiness and mutual support - it also became a source of media pressure and racist attacks that tested their trust in each other. From the earliest moments of their relationship, Harry and Meghan became the target of the British media, which often portrayed their life together in an unfavourable light. Meghan, as an American and a woman with African-American roots, faced comments and articles that questioned her place in the British royal family. The media did not hesitate to resort to racist and stereotypical narratives that made Harry uncomfortable and only reinforced his already existing resentment towards tabloid journalists. In this chapter, Harry describes how Meghan became both his support and his teacher. Meghan taught him to see the world from a different perspective, and it was her detachment and openness that helped him to discover how isolated and limited his own family was. This realisation caused an inner conflict in Harry - he wanted to be true to the traditions and obligations to his family, but at the same time he longed for a life of freedom with Meghan outside the royal restraints. The increasing pressure and unfair treatment Meghan faced contributed to the decision that they had to stand up for their independence. Harry and Meghan began to collaborate on projects that went beyond traditional royal duties and focused on charitable and social issues. Examples include their work on mental health and anti-bullying, which were topics close to both of their hearts. These activities brought them together as a team and also gave them a new purpose in life. Their relationship went through many trials, but Harry felt that Meghan was a person he could follow and with whom he wanted to experience life outside the royal bubble. However, he knew that this decision would require a huge personal sacrifice - leaving his family, losing his privileges and being uncertain about the future. But the move was necessary for both of them if they wanted to protect themselves and their family from the adverse influences of the media and the royal institution. The relationship with Meghan strengthened Harry and allowed him to find the courage to take steps he might not have imagined before. Thanks to Meghan, he found the strength to stand up against tradition and fight for the right to live by his own values, which later became the basis of their decision to leave royal duties and start a new life abroad.

Harry and Meghan's decision to leave the royal family has shaken not only the British public, but also the royal institution itself. The decision did not come suddenly - it was the result of a long period of pressure the two faced from the media, the public and even the family itself. In the book, Harry describes this departure as a necessary step that allowed him to protect his family and create a safer environment for his son Archie and future daughter Lilibet. When Harry and Meghan announced that they were giving up their royal duties, it caused a wave of reactions. The British public and media felt they had betrayed the royal family and undermined its image. However, Harry explains in the book that this decision was not about escaping from duty, but about saving his own psychological well-being and security. He was aware of the risks of media and public pressure and did not want his family to go through the same ordeal that his mother, Diana, had experienced. The decision to leave also carried with it financial issues, as they lost financial support from the Royal Family when they left. Harry and Meghan decided to be financially independent and provide their own resources to live on. They worked with charities and the media on projects that allowed them not only to earn money but also to do the things they felt were important. This move gave them freedom while allowing them to continue working on issues that were close to their hearts. The book also reveals how the royal institution reacted to their decision. The royal court tried to mitigate the consequences of the move, but at the same time, it placed various obstacles in their way. In the book, Harry describes how they had to give up their royal titles and how difficult it was to find a compromise that would satisfy both parties. This struggle for the right to a private life and independence left a deep mark on both of them and changed their view of the royal family. Harry also reflects on the feelings of guilt and ambivalence that this decision brought with it. He knew that with this move he was leaving behind the family that had been a part of him since birth, but he felt that he was willing to make this sacrifice to protect his family and the values that mattered to him. Meghan stood by him in this decision and their relationship was only strengthened by it. Leaving the royal family was not only a symbolic step for Harry, but also a practical one that allowed him to find the freedom and peace of mind that the royal institution could not provide. This step led them to a new life in America, where they tried to forge their own path, independent of the expectations placed on them by the monarchy.

Prince Harry in Spare offers a profound account of a journey towards his own identity that is accompanied by loss, pain, but also love and strength. The book reveals that behind the façade of royal duties lies a man who longs for acceptance, security, and a family life where rules are not dictated by media or protocol. Harry's relationship with Meghan Markle and their decision to leave the royal family represent an important milestone for him on the road to freedom. It is a story about the struggle for one's own dignity, the right to privacy and finding a balance between fidelity to tradition and the desire for an authentic life. Spare is a testament to the search for personal happiness and the courage to face the world on one's own, and ultimately to the fact that the most precious things in life are love and family, which not even a royal crown can replace. Do you have feedback for us? We'd love it if you let us know your opinion on our content! Just send an email to feedback@rewio.app with the title of this book in the subject line and share your impressions!