Prince Harry’s upcoming memoir Spare promises to be an explosive read, mainly because Harry is spilling the tea about his family, including his relationship with his dad. In fact, Harry named the book Spare after a name his father gave him in 1984.
Harry said in his memoir that King Charles told his then-wife, Princess Diana after Harry was born, “Wonderful! Now you’ve given me an heir and a spare – my work is done.”
Harry also said that his father repeatedly joked that Harry was not his son, while Harry was growing up. Princess Diana infamously had a relationship with Major James Hewitt, after meeting in 1986, who was known for trying to sell love letters between himself and Diana after her death.
Because Major Hewitt had red hair, the rumor circulated that Harry was actually his son, not Charles’. Harry said, “Pa liked telling stories, and this was one of the best in his repertoire.”
Harry continued, “He’d always end with a burst of philosophizing…Who knows if I’m really the Prince of Wales? Who knows if I’m even your real father?”
Harry said that Charles would then laugh about the hurtful joke. He also said that he and his father never spoke about the rumors directly.
Prince Harry explains his decision to speak publicly about his family
In a clip from Prince Harry’s 60 Minutes interview, Harry told Anderson Cooper why he decided to discuss his private family business publicly. Harry said that the tabloid coverage about him and his wife, Meghan Markle, is biased.
Harry said that every time that he tried to discuss things with his family privately, there were “briefings,” leaks, and the “planting of stories” against him and Meghan. He said that the family motto is “never complain, never explain“, but it’s just a motto.
He said that there was plenty of complaining and explaining going on through leaks, however. He also said that for six years he and Meghan were told that the palace couldn’t put out a statement to protect them, but they could do it for other members of the family.
Prince Harry speaks on relationship with his brother Prince William
Prince Harry also spoke, in his book, about a physical altercation between himself and Prince William in 2019, at Nottingham Cottage. Harry claimed that William came to the cottage to discuss their relationship and struggles with the press.
Harry said that William showed up “piping hot,” and started complaining about Meghan, to which Harry accused William of repeating a press narrative. The two brothers then started shouting at each other, before William said that he was just trying to help. Harry said that William was not helping at all.
Harry claimed that William then followed him into the kitchen, grabbed him by the collar, ripping his necklace, and shoved him to the ground, where Harry landed on the dog’s bowl, causing abrasions to his back.
He then claimed that William urged Harry to hit him back, and Harry refused. Willian then left but returned and asked Harry not to mention the altercation to Meghan.