WHSmith is advertising Prince Harry’s new biography Spare for half-price three months before it is scheduled to be released.
The 416-page autobiography is eventually set to hit stores on January 10 after rumours that the original autumn release date had been moved back to show respect for the Queen.
The Duke of Sussex is reportedly alleged to have sought a number of last-minute changes in an effort to tone down the book in the aftermath of the monarch’s death, fearing that his final manuscript might not go down too well.”
Penguin Random House promises ‘raw, unapologetic honesty’ in the ‘intimate and passionate memoir,’ with Harry allegedly receiving a $20 million (£18.4 million) advance as part of a three-title deal totaling £36.8 million.
However, several merchants have already reduced the price of the book by half for pre-order copies.
It includes well-known book shop WHSmith, which is currently promoting Spare for £14, which is half the suggested retail price of £28.
The catchy title alludes to Harry’s moniker as a “spare” royal, as opposed to his brother William, the heir to the throne.
Its title page, which can be seen on a new website promoting the book, features Harry looking sternly at the camera while wearing a brown T-shirt and a black string necklace.
The publication date was announced in a press release today, which referred to Harry as a ‘husband, father, humanitarian, military veteran, mental wellness advocate and environmentalist’ who ‘resides in Santa Barbara, California, with his family and three dogs’.
‘Spare takes readers immediately back to 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,’ the release said.
‘As Diana, Princess of Wales, was laid to rest, billions wondered what the princes must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on. For Harry, this is his story at last. With its raw, unflinching honesty, Spare is a landmark publication full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.’
Royal author Richard Fitzwilliams said the Royal Family would be “extremely worried” about how the book was being promoted.
‘It is a sensational title and implies that the writer was not valued or certainly that he did not feel at the centre of events.’
‘When the blurb speaks of ”raw, unflinching honesty” the Palace will be very concerned, especially since these are the early months of King Charles’s reign.
‘There will undoubtedly be interviews, serialisation and endless speculation about this memoir, which in my view should have waited many years. Even Edward VIII, by then the Duke of Windsor, waited until 1951 before A King’s Story was published. The consequences of this will be far-reaching and may be highly destructive.’
Harry must choose between further deteriorating his already fragile relationship with his family and perhaps harming book sales by withholding any accusations.
Aides are bracing for the worst, especially in light of Harry’s public criticisms of his family and the monarchy.
During their infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey last year, the Sussexes accused the Royal Family of racism, with Harry claiming Charles had “literally cut me off financially.”
Some of the circumstances preceding the Queen’s death are alleged to have upset Harry even more.
Harbottle and Lewis, the Royal Family’s lawyers, are anticipated to be on standby to study the book when it is published.
Random House CEO Markus Dohle said today: ‘We are honoured to be publishing Prince Harry’s candid and emotionally powerful story for readers everywhere.
‘He shares a remarkably moving personal journey from trauma to healing, one that speaks to the power of love and will inspire and encourage millions of people around the world.’
The review looks to be more unfavorable than Harry’s review of the book in July of last year. Then, he said: ‘I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become.
‘I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story – the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned – I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.’