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While sipping his coffee ☕️ and wandering through the house, lost in his thoughts, my better half abruptly inquired about the book I was reading this month.

“Spare”.

Without missing a beat, he shot back, “Harry’s? What has he ever done in his life to have a book about himself? His brother is the heir to the throne and will have stories to share at least. What does Harry have to share?”

June, I am offering my reviews on – “Spare” by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex(a memoir).

Maybe Harry knew this. He has heard this several times before. And so the book starts with all these questions, and clarifications. I hadn’t even gotten through a third of the book – on just the Kindle sample – and it already felt like a ‘pity party’. Had to shelve the book back, maybe I wasn’t ready for this rant of his that he was going about how poorly he was looked down upon since his childhood. But then, a week later, for some reason, I found myself curious about what he was trying to say and decided to give it another shot.

They say – “Don’t wash your dirty linen in public”. The phrase emphasizes the importance of tactfulness and maintaining the dignity and privacy of personal affairs. Wonder, if Harry was looking for sympathy, support, or validation from others, hoping that sharing all his problems would draw empathy and understanding. The book is indeed a brave attempt, sharing personal details (his and all his near and dear ones) to a great extent – a cry for help when he saw no other solution?

Think of a Royal, it’s all about the palaces, jewels, and crazy luxury? They seem to have it all, everything money can buy, they have the Capacity. And still, we have a prince here who is publishing such a book, with so many complaints. It’s wild, it just goes to show that money can’t fix everything? The way he grumbles about the small stuff in the first part of the book paints a different picture of royal life.

Come the second part, I liked the description of his army tenure in Afghanistan, and its related experiences. Well put. Brave soldier like all other soldiers in the world. I liked how he took up helicopter learning for the Army service and the challenging experiences around it. Despite his royal status, he demonstrated a willingness to step out of his comfort zone! 

Harry has had a rough experience with the press, no doubt. Losing his mom was the hardest hit. He has tried hard to convey this point repeatedly throughout. You start to get to know Harry little in the second part. Maybe he’s not as “spare” or useless as people think. He’s emotional and kind-hearted. Loves nature, good people, animals, stargazing, and just simple family life. But, yes, being born into royalty, he plays that card too. Doesn’t really hurt anyone, right? Late-night parties, drugs, alcohol, unpleasant paparazzi encounters, brawl on the same, etc. All done, enjoyed.

The third part of the book is ALL about his current wife. It feels like they compiled a list of every little and big thing she’s gone through since marrying into this royal family. Harry seems to be on a mission to show how innocent she was then, she is now. Again it got boring here. But if you like gossip and thrive on other family feuds, maybe you will enjoy the third part! Way too much drama.

It’s an aptly named book title. Overall a revealing, controversial read. Bet his dad and brother aren’t too thrilled about it!

The best and only takeaway for me, from this book has been to know about the – “no-complain, no-explain” philosophy! This phrase is often associated with the late Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. It reflects her patient and dignified approach to handling public and private matters without airing grievances or providing explanations. It shows a mindset of accepting circumstances with grace and focusing on actions rather than words. I am definitely giving this philosophy a try, ma’am!  

Do share your feedback if you already read this one. Until next time, keep the coffee brewing and the pages turning!

• Blog post crafted on thinkdeli.com
• Written by Jaee Jadhav Garad
• June 2024