Prince Harry made a significant blunder about Eton College in his explosive memoir, Spare. The prestigious private school in Berkshire has returned to the spotlight after Kensington Palace announced that Prince George, the Duke of Sussex’s nephew, will enrol there this September. While Prince William has praised his time at Eton, his younger brother’s recollections contain glaring errors.
Historical Inaccuracy in Lineage
Harry mentioned Eton multiple times in Spare, published in 2023. Discussing the school’s founding by King Henry VI in 1440, he referred to the medieval monarch as “my great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather.” This is incorrect. Henry VI had only one son, who died without an heir at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Harry’s actual six-times great-grandfather is King George III, grandfather of Queen Victoria, who died in 1820.
Location Error During Queen Mother's Death
Another error appeared in a segment about the Queen Mother’s death in 2002. Harry wrote in detail about receiving a call while studying at Eton, informing him of her death on March 30, 2002. He wrote: “At Eton, while studying, I took the call. I wish I could remember whose voice was at the other end; a courtier's, I believe. I recall that it was just before Easter, the weather bright and warm, light slanting through my window, filled with vivid colours.”
However, Harry’s whereabouts at the time are well documented. He was on a skiing holiday in Switzerland with his father, King Charles, and brother, Prince William. The trio arrived in Klosters, Switzerland, on March 29, but their holiday was cut short after the Queen Mother’s death. They returned to Windsor by March 31. Resurfaced photographs confirm Harry was on the skiing trip on the weekend the Queen Mother died.
