Oh, to be a fly on the wall at Buckingham Palace today.
The Duke of Sussex, 36, revealed on Monday that he’s writing a memoir scheduled for release in late 2022. And, considering the fallout with his family following the explosive (and Emmy-nominated) Oprah Winfrey interview he did earlier this year with Meghan Markle, we can only imagine what additional tidbits Harry will include in his book.
Related: Vanity Fair digs deep into Prince Harry and Prince William’s royal rift.
“I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become,” he said in a statement released by Penguin Random House. “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.”
He adds, “I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.”
Related: Prince William labeled ‘hypocrite’ after defending Black soccer players.
Proceeds from the book and subsequent audiobook will be donated to an as-yet-unnamed charity. According to the press release, the memoir will cover Harry’s childhood (and his mum, Princess Diana), military duty in Afghanistan, wife Markle and their two kids, Archie, 2, and one-month-old Lilibet.
Earlier this year, Markle, 39, also released a book of her own. Her debut kid’s book The Bench was loosely based on a poem she wrote that was inspired by the bond she witnessed between Harry and Archie. Proceeds went to charity.
Related: Meghan Markle and the struggle among Black women everywhere.
The real question, though, is what exactly Harry will include in his memoir. It’s clear the prince wants to mend fences with his family — it’s obvious through his actions and attempts to reconcile with brother Prince William when the two were reunited for Prince Philip’s funeral in April and the unveiling of the Princess Diana statue in early July. But will writing a new tell-all only make things worse?
See also: Every time Harry and Meghan were real about mental health.
As much as he seems to want a reconciliation, it’s also obvious that Harry harbours a lot of pain that he wants to get off his chest. If he was prepared to put his familial bonds at risk with the Oprah interview, there’s no telling what else he may add in a memoir written entirely in his own words without editing. Based on statements made before and after the Oprah interview, it’s clear Harry’s beef isn’t with the queen (or his late grandfather). Rather, relations are strained between himself and William, along with his father Prince Charles.
We don’t have enough information yet about this new memoir to make assumptions either way, but there’s no denying that Harry’s book will be one of the must-reads of 2022.
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