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Spare Kindle Edition


#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Discover the global phenomenon that tells an unforgettable story of love, loss, and healing.

“Compellingly artful . . . [a] blockbuster memoir.”—
The New Yorker (Best Books of the Year)

It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on.

For Harry, this is that story at last.

Before losing his mother, twelve-year-old Prince Harry was known as the carefree one, the happy-go-lucky Spare to the more serious Heir. Grief changed everything. He struggled at school, struggled with anger, with loneliness—and, because he blamed the press for his mother’s death, he struggled to accept life in the spotlight.

At twenty-one, he joined the British Army. The discipline gave him structure, and two combat tours made him a hero at home. But he soon felt more lost than ever, suffering from post-traumatic stress and prone to crippling panic attacks. Above all, he couldn’t find true love. 

Then he met Meghan. The world was swept away by the couple’s cinematic romance and rejoiced in their fairy-tale wedding. But from the beginning, Harry and Meghan were preyed upon by the press, subjected to waves of abuse, racism, and lies. Watching his wife suffer, their safety and mental health at risk, Harry saw no other way to prevent the tragedy of history repeating itself but to flee his mother country. Over the centuries, leaving the Royal Family was an act few had dared. The last to try, in fact, had been his mother. . . .

For the first time, Prince Harry tells his own story, chronicling his journey with raw, unflinching honesty. A landmark publication,
Spare is full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.
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Popular Highlights in this book

From the Publisher

An unforgettable memoir of love, loss, and healing

TIME says “Unflinching, introspective, and well-written.”

HIS WORDS. HIS STORY.

The New Yorker says “[A] blockbuster memoir.”

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Unflinching, introspective, and well-written.”Time

“Compellingly artful . . . [a] blockbuster memoir.”
The New Yorker

“A scorching account of life in a golden cage.”
The Atlantic

About the Author

Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, is a husband, father, humanitarian, military veteran, mental wellness advocate, and environmentalist. He resides in Santa Barbara, California, with his family and three dogs.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BCP3JP6F
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House (January 10, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 10, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4225 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 409 pages
  • Customer Reviews:

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Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex
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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
107,977 global ratings
An expertly communicated history, a beautifully told story!
5 Stars
An expertly communicated history, a beautifully told story!
I don’t know what I was expecting from this memoir. Actually, I do. I expected Harry to tell his story. I expected him to set the record straight. I expected details of his life and relationships that we had never heard before, some of them potentially scandalous. What I got instead was one of the most artfully crafted and evocative accounts of a life that I have read, or heard, since Michelle Obama’s “Becoming” and arguably more far reaching and impactful. I actually read along in hard copy while listening to the narration in accompaniment, which I highly recommend. One thing I did not expect was Harry’s ability to create such a visceral sense of time and place. His descriptions, particularly of his trips to Africa, the Poles, Afghan deserts, anywhere in nature were truly stunning, practically reverential. I could picture it as if standing at a window, overlooking the scenes he described.When dealing with the press, their coverage of his life, his relationships and more, Harry was unflinching and uncompromising in his evaluation of their practices, the stories and their ‘sources’. He addressed each one with the same honesty and no-holds-barred approached they have so often employed on him. Even segments that some readers may describe as “cringey” or “oversharing”, to me, seemed like nothing more than Harry boldly commenting on the many aspects of his life that strangers have, for many years, made themselves far too comfortable exploring.When dealing with his relationships, particularly with past girlfriends and most importantly, his family. Harry, bared his soul. He shared his memories, both painful and joyous, sometimes even outing himself as an unreliable narrator by claiming a memory’s rootedness in impression, feeling or even things learned later in life over hard, provable, in-the-moment fact. But where he has certainty, in the things that he knows that he knows, Harry handles his story and the people in it with equal measures of unaugmented truth and impressive grace. Harry’s descriptions of Meghan, his passages describing the births of his children, the lives they tried to build, and rebuild, are soft, beautiful and heartbreaking.I was a fan before, of both him and Meghan separately (having been put on to Suits many years ago as a law student) and a supporter of the Sussexes since the first rumors of them started circulating; no hiding that. But even as someone who thought I had a relatively decent idea of their character and their struggles, I was floored by what I’d read. I was moved by their commitment to each other and to “doing good” in the world and ultimately left with the solid impression that we, none of us, ever really knew Harry (not even those who’d call themselves the most devoted Royal watchers), and even after this book, which is somehow as restrained as it is transparent, we probably still entirely don’t, and that’s ok.
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2023
I don’t really read these kinds of books. I’m addicted to sci fi and historical romance and intake most my gossip/nonfiction news from social media mediums and independent research (Tik Tok and Twitter). I don’t think I’ve ever read a biography, autobiography, or memoir outside of an educational setting. I picked this up just bc I was interested in all the weird excerpts the media put all over headlines in the days leading up. I’m also a big supporter of evaluating primary sources first-hand as my liberal arts bachelors degree taught me before I form opinions. I expected a celebrity tell-all gossip piece..

BUT, this piece took my breath away. I read it in one night and went through so many emotions. I had to put it down multiple times to laugh, cry, and self reflect. Well-done to Harry taking the hard step to be vulnerable to the world in his own way and taking control of his narrative and his writer is absolutely so talented. The writer is so magnificent, I cannot say it enough.

This book is going to be analyzed in classrooms, positively, negatively, analytically one day as it touches on coming-of age, literature and motifs, the most recent war, and a love story and a social and political discourse on British press and its relationship with the Palace. People are going to be talking about this book for ages and as Meghan and Harry seem to be really polarizing to some. I recommend anyone supporter or not, British or American, read this book first and form your own opinions. Clear your mind of the bias from what you know of Harry from the press and media and read it about a story of a boy growing into a man. It’s really quite good when you look past you’re own biases.

Harry’s really grown when it comes to his own biases and privilege and this book really explores that growth in a first person POV that also causes to reader to take a step back and evaluate themselves but I do think he needs to sit on his support of a Monarchy a bit more lol…it was nice as an American to understand British culture a bit more though and I feel like I was able to put myself in the other Royals shoes and humanize them as well! Since Meghan and Harry are the only ones who we’ve been able to authentically hear from as of late.

I know a lot of people will speak on his chapters of his experiences in the war negatively, and to be honest. I wasn’t expecting that kind of candor and rawness and it resonated with me but in a introspectively beneficial way..as someone who is currently in the neo-stage of their military officer career (I only joined because I wanted to be a leader and get college paid but I’ve been more introspective on leadership and military more lately) I had to take military history classes when I was in college, I read many textbooks and memories who recount experiences similar to his from the civil war, Vietnam and WW1/2 perspective and we analyzed them relentlessly…but I haven’t seen a lot of memoirs from veterans from the War on Terror or from non-Americans. With the peacetime the U.S. is in I guess I doubt I’ll be serving long enough to ever experience the trauma he went through and it helps me understand the PTSD of modern soldiers and those veteran NCOs I work with. That section made me really introspective about the military and the way we’re trained and the discourse around the ethics of it even though his military experience is from a different country. (Side note this really helped me realize how important OPSEC is lol I literally screamed OPSEC at the book at one point).

I enjoy the way he recounted his childhood and his relationship with his family. It was very tactful and well-written and I think every comment that a tabloid has pulled as “offensive” out of context was balanced out throughout the book as we really delved into the nuances of family and our childhoods. The people he mentions in this book are not just characters and celebrities in a show or tabloid but real people who are multifaceted and there is no antagonist and protagonist in real life.

He also kept it spicy with the funny TMI moments about his social life and ~extracurricular~ activities. The random celebrity name drops were hilarious to me with his sarcastic tone and obviously not ill-mannered or narcissistic as I saw some implied. I think that was the perfect amount of comedy and tiny factoids that are ultimately harmless and affect no one except entertain the reader. I’m a very TMI person and the way he exposed embarrassing moments is the way I talk to my inner circle of friends and I felt like I was listening to a friend tell me a story on girls night. I saw on Twitter people were offended by the TMI but let’s be honest, if he hadn’t left in the spicy/funny comments people would have just said his memoir is boring and a waste of money and money-seeking. I’m sure there are plenty of other TMI details of his life that are private and he did not share. Everything he shared that people called “TMI” is inconsequential to the audience and only there to entertain comedic relief amongst the other dark themes in this book. This probably went through hella reviews and many consultations to make sure it wasn’t too out there.

I could ramble forever about this book…I wanna join like a book club or reddit to discuss it. This is truly one of my favorite reads in like the last ten years. I may have separate opinions about the Harry v. the Monarchy discourse but I just want to endorse the book is SUCH a good read anyways for those on edge.
3,033 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2024
This book feels incredibly honest and it is thoughtfully reflective. It's very well written, easy to follow, and insightful. He does an excellent job delivering comic relief to help the reader through the more serious and painful subjects. From the beginning he is upfront about his struggles with memory and he is very clear, throughout the entire book, that he is writing about situations and retelling conversations to the best of his recollection, they can't be taken as quotes.

This book is a memoir. It is from Prince Harry's perspective about his life. These are his experiences, his traumas, his joys, and his sorrows. He is sharing his world openly and honestly with the reader, always fully acknowledging that it is his own viewpoint. I believe this book should be respected, not only because it is an extremely rare reflection of an incredibly unique life experience, but also because it is a thoughtful retrospective and a well written book.
4 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2023
I was interested in reading Prince Harry's story but unsure what to expect from this memoir. It could have been anodyne, avoiding the elephant in the room concerning his family relationships. It could have been scorched earth. It's neither. Harry clearly has (or had) great affection for his father and his brother, and his criticisms of them are mild and/or oblique. But there is no escaping what happened, and when he does write about the behaviors that led to him choosing to leave the UK with his wife, it is direct, sometimes shocking, and utterly believable. Harry waited a long time to speak and he clearly has receipts.

I found the chapters about Harry's military service among the most interesting. Clearly he could never be just an ordinary soldier, but he went through the same paces and journey as pretty much any recruit in many ways. This part of the story provides a compelling and clear context for his service and dedication to veterans and his Invictus Games endeavors. After reading this, it broke my heart that he was stripped of some of his military titles and was not allowed to wear his uniform to his grandmother's funeral. Especially when you see his family members who never served in the same way strutting around with chests full of unearned medals. I said what I said.

There is some information in the book I guess I didn't need to know, but I understand why he included it. His life has been media fodder since Day One, and it's clear that people have been writing and reading twisted and even untrue stories about him for decades. I guess he wanted to get some things out there himself so he could say it in his own words, because he didn't get to do that before.

The book is really a story of enduring and overcoming trauma, and how it can take years and a lot of mistakes, missed chances and side-journeys to do so. I was never a Royal watcher. I remember when Diana died, and watching her sons walk behind her coffin. But I had a job and young kids at the time, so I didn't pay attention to the family for years after that. You get a tremendous insight into how they operate reading this book. I would never, ever want to be Royal or raise my kids that way. Certainly not the way it has been done in Great Britain.

Oh, and Camilla is awful. That really comes across in Harry's memoir. He doesn't trash her, but he is honest about what she did and how he felt about it. I would say she is the one whose misdeeds are really laid bare here. Even then, as I said, he is not on a war path or anything. He's just telling it like it is.

Anyway, it's a compelling story about a public figure, a man (and before that a boy) whom people thought they knew but who has so much more depth and complexity than many believed. It's definitely worth reading. Slow in spots and with some details that made me scratch my head a bit. But very interesting and sympathetic.
24 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Kathy L
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
Reviewed in Mexico on April 9, 2024
Prince Harry has a very interesting story to tell and he does so in an engaging, honest and reflective way.
Valdir C Pereira Filho
5.0 out of 5 stars excelente
Reviewed in Brazil on January 29, 2023
Muito bem escrito
Interessante, envolvente. Vale muito a leitura.
Great book, well written, interesting. I do recommend.
Easy to read and great!
One person found this helpful
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Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars "...a secret about truth that many people are unwilling to accept: it's usually painful"
Reviewed in Canada on January 10, 2023
"a secret about truth that many people are unwilling to accept: it's usually painful"

This quote, taken from part 2, page 170, chapter 33 really spoke to me. I noted it immediately upon reading, highlighting it, because it really spoke to the theme of this book. That truth is often wrapped with pain...that owning ones truth is often brave, hard and often misunderstood. That speaking ones truth often comes with risk, with people who will continue to read your truth and misquote you, who will cherry-pick and judge based on mistruths, often quoted as others as the gospel.

I started this book with my own opinions, and when I finished this book, I was surprised - surprised to find myself empathizing with almost every major player. Even the ones I had demonized in my own minds eye. I found myself empathizing with what it must feel like to be "owned" by an institution - owned by the public. After all, the public were paying for their very existence. What it must feel like to have to grow up, make mistakes and be judged perhaps more harshly than those of his peers. But I also experienced a level of sympathy for what generations of that family have had to undergo.

Trauma is a major theme that wraps it's tentacles around Harry - long past childhood, it ensnares him, forms his very being. I was surprised to learn many things about his feelings about Diana's passing, ones that would be understandable for any young man to feel, but are more so understandable after what he experienced on a world stage. The descriptions of his feelings are so vivid, so painfully raw, that you can't help but feel for him.

I have to give credit where credit is due - this book is exceptionally well written...this speaks to a very close partnership with Prince Harry's ghost writer, JR Moehringer. I could see Prince Harry pouring over his laptop all night long, writing all his feelings down and then JR, taking those feelings and moments and creating a more aesthetically pleasing, descriptive tome. You never feel like it isn't Prince Harry talking from his heart, but you can see where JR has been able to give such clear description, you feel like you're right there, in the battlefield with Harry - that you're walking along side him during that long walk behind his mom. I usually find biographies exceptionally boring because they feel like a history lesson, and don't speak from the heart. This isn't that type of book. You feel like you're reading from his diary, a very personal and private journey he is giving us access too. His entire life has been shown to the world, by those events were not by his choice. THIS was his choice. His truth.

I don't want to take away from this book so I will not go into specifics because I feel like you should go into this book willing to listen - remove your preconceived notions, drop your prejudice, erase from your memory the stories told by others about him and read his truth. Because if nothing else, why should someone else opinion of you be treated as truth, when their opinions are formed by the very people who have tried to destroy you.
614 people found this helpful
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Stefdune
5.0 out of 5 stars Royal family forever
Reviewed in Italy on April 30, 2024
Libro scritto molto bene . Well done !.
Susanna12
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read.
Reviewed in Germany on April 3, 2024
I liked to hear his version of his own story and life. I can now understand better why he has made some of his decisions and I'm so sorry that the death of his mother has effected his life so much because of the paparazis.
2 people found this helpful
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