In his upcoming autobiography, Spare, Prince Harry has alleged that his brother, William, now Prince of Wales, physically attacked him during a confrontation in London in 2019. The book, set to be published worldwide next week, details the escalating tensions between the brothers over Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle.
According to Harry, William arrived at his home, Nottingham Cottage, already angry and called Meghan “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive”, which Harry says was a repetition of the press narrative. The argument intensified, with Harry accusing William of acting like an heir and unable to understand why his younger brother was not content to be a spare.
Harry writes that William then grabbed him by the collar, ripped his necklace, and knocked him to the floor. He landed on a dog bowl, which cracked under his back, causing cuts. Harry says William urged him to hit back, but he refused. William later returned, apologised, and asked Harry not to tell Meghan.
Harry did not immediately inform his wife but called his therapist. When Meghan later noticed scrapes and bruises on his back, he told her about the incident. Harry writes that she “wasn’t that surprised, and wasn’t all that angry.”
The memoir, titled Spare from the royal saying about a second son, covers Harry's childhood, his time in the army, his relationship with his family, and his life with Meghan. It includes other intimate details about his parents and grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The book is expected to cause significant controversy for the British royal family, with the Guardian obtaining an advance copy amid stringent security measures.
