Prince Harry's Memoir: A World Publishing Phenomenon

[MrsMaxDeWinter]

There will likely be several bashing threads on Harry's memoir before it is published, but I am interested in discussing with anyone who is interested in the very interesting marketing choices of the publishers and their approach.

English language editions of SPARE will be published on 10 January 2023 in EIGHT territories: the US, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa and Canada.

The book will also be published in translation in 15 additional languages:

SPANISH Plaza & Janés/Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial
GERMAN Penguin Verlag/Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe GmbH, PORTUGUESE BRAZIL Objetiva/Grupo Companhia das Letras
PORTUGUESE PORTUGAL Objectiva/Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, SIMPLIFIED CHINESE Penguin Random House China
DANISH Politikens Forlag
DUTCH Hollands Diep, an imprint of Overamstel
FINNISH Otava Publishing Company Ltd
FRENCH Éditions Fayard
GREEK Pedio Books
HUNGARIAN Corvina Kiadó
ITALIAN Mondadori,
POLISH Wydawnictwo Marginesy,
ROMANIAN Nemira Publishing House,
SWEDISH Albert Bonniers Förlag.

This is absolutely sensational as it means it will be simultaneously published in 23 territories on the same day.

There are not many books where simultaneous release occurs in different markets. From this, I would say that the book will more than earn its advance, just from the foreign sales alone.

They also chose a banger of a title as it puts focus on the troubling notion of the Spare in a system based on primogeniture, and one that imbues both intrinsic and extrinsic value based on a person's birth order.

Imagine growing up knowing that no matter how loved you may be, your constitutional role is ultimately to be the spare to the heir.

Can't wait to read it!

I can’t imagine that Harry be able to read his book aloud in time for January. They will probably have to hire a ‘ghost reader’ too.

The fact he is narrating bus have been part of the deal. Added a few millions more for the bill.

He is really burning the bridges with the family and the institution. I am of the view that the institution needs to change completely (part of a much bigger discussion about the political system too) but bashing people around to get paid is not the best of options either.

It will all pass though. What is next after this? He is not the smartest cookie and he needs to deal with a lot mentally. He is very entitled while at the same time critisizes the very family that fed him and gave him privilege. A Prince that is still using his titles, including the very medieval and rather honorary "duke" thing - he still seems to care, for all the change he is calling for.

Thank you for posting this image with the book covers in all but one of the 16 languages so far. This is what I meant when I said the memoir going to be a world publishing phenomenon!

@hoooops Thanks for the interesting comments. I agree that some of their statements have been hugely unhelpful to them, but I feel that the bias against Meghan was there from the beginning in the media, even before she said a word in South Africa or on Oprah.

Interesting you mention how they will be seen in the UK after the Queen's death, I read an opinion poll this morning that suggests that William and Kate were "approved" by about 72 per cent of the people who took part, Charles by 48%, Harry by 53% and Meghan by 38%.

What struck me about this poll is its necessity? H and M are no longer working members of the Royal Family, Why is their popularity in the UK still so much of an issue when they no longer work for the family? Is it only to make the other members look more appealing ? Because if that poll had been just Charles, William and Kate, Charles would have been the least popular.

At least we’ll be able to hear his ‘guttural reactions’ directly ourselves now that Meghan spoke about , the book might just be a series of guttural reactions (every time he sees a big word) 😀

I’ll save you the trouble of reading/listening - I’ve grown up knowing my brother will be King and I won’t. I’ve never been able to work out what I should do with my life. My mum died and I am angry and sad about that. My stint in the army was the best time of my life but I was forced to leave. I pretended to enjoy working with William and Catherine but really I hated it and I was angry and sad , especially with the Press. Then I met Megan and she changed my whole outlook on life, I’ve never been so happy but my family never liked her. Now I know what I must do - make the world a better place for my children. I’m still on a journey but I know what direction I am heading in . I hope I can build bridges with my family now I have done this book and we have made our reality show. After all my father is King and he could be useful. The End

That’s a best seller @milti 👍👍

Milti, very succinct. And probably very accurate. Thank you for saving us a few hours.

I read an opinion poll this morning that suggests that William and Kate were "approved" by about 72 per cent of the people who took part, Charles by 48%, Harry by 53% and Meghan by 38%.

Interesting - can you link to the poll? I agree it's unusual, Camilla is usually in there, and Andrew. Also weird to have three individuals and one couple, or did W and K both get around 72%?

Here you go @hoooops

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11364935/More-quarter-Britons-say-opinion-Charles-improved-King.html

@MrsMaxDeWinter

This is not about race. It’s about cultural attitudes and cultural heritage. It is possible to be the same race as another group of people and still experience cultural shock in that country- see the Us vs U.K.

Your tone when discussing the royals and the Anglican Church comes off as patronising and sneering. Yes, we stupid English think our King was appointed by God. How silly are we?

If I was so sneering and dismissive of another person’s culture and history I would be roundly piled on. And I would deserve it. Lots of cultures all over the world seem odd to me. But that is their culture. It is not for me to belittle or judge.

Because otherwise I would be perpetuating horrible outdated cultural imperialism and bigotry.

And the history and background of a king being appointed by God (or the Gods) comes to us from Ancient Rome and is very similar all over Europe. If you want to understand better where the Anglican Church came from then I suggest you read ‘Dominion’ by Tom Holland and the Cromwell series by Hilary Mantel.

Because your claim that Henry VIII created the Anglican Church just to get a divorce is a wild over simplification of some very complex cultural and historical shifts happening at that time.

I would also recommend the Chronicles of Lymond for a better understand of shifts in Early Modern European culture and religion.

So it's already half price before it even comes out? Is that normal? I have a few favourite authors and their books never seem to be discounted before they come out or even for a while afterwards.

That other Harry - Harry Potter - was certainly never discounted. It's hard to know which will be the greater work of fiction.

Yes, I second that.

Ah well the Daily Mail does have a particular relationship with H and M so I guess they haven't bothered with anyone else who might have been included. I looked on the polling people's website and can't find the full data weirdly, but I bet it was a lot more comprehensive than that.

I do surveys for ( very small ) amounts of money and have completed a few recently about the RF.
Often the intro says something along the lines of KC used to be unpopular or H and M used to be more popular than W and C but what are your views now .

I understand perfectly the history of the Church of England, thank you.

Your insinuation that I am ignorant because I said I am an African woman, and your statement above, which I initially ignored, that I am "ill-educated" are offensive.

Yes, I have read all three of Hilary Mantel's books, not to mention having done the Tudors in History in my school in Africa, where, believe it or not, I received an education that was broader and more expansive than you did because I learned the history of my continent, as well as that of yours.

Not to mention studying China, France, Italy, the US, Vietnam, the USSR and Latin America as part of learning about conquests and revolutions.

I am aware that the Church of England proper was established after Henry VIII died, but the roots of it are in the "King's Great Matter" - the divorce of Catherine of Aragon.

There is little you can tell me about the Divine Right of Kings, or the idea of a God-annointed sovereign being used as a way to keep the plebs in line, and from revolting.

I have not been sneering and patronising at all. As a former colonial I can assure you, I know the history of your island nation better than you know that of any one country on my continent.

And it is preposterous for you to talk of cultural imperialism to me without irony when the only reason I know your history is actual imperialism, in which our land was stolen in the name of the monarchy, a language was imposed on us in the name of the monarchy, and a religion was imposed on us in the name of the monarchy.

Thank you for attempting to educate the ignorant African though.

On the other hand if they'd been left out it would have been so unfair that they were being ignored. It has got to the point where you can't do right for doing wrong.

I don't think Harry is entirely the person you seem to think he is. He made racist comments, there are photos of him naked at a party in Vegas, rumours of his behaviour back home. Maybe you can relate to that, many of us think a man calling his military colleagues by racist slurs isn't to be admired. Each to his (or her) own.

I don't think Harry is entirely the person you seem to think he is. He made racist comments, there are photos of him naked at a party in Vegas, rumours of his behaviour back home. Maybe you can relate to that, many of us think a man calling his military colleagues by racist slurs isn't to be admired. Each to his (or her) own

He is exactly who I think he is @ancientgran Yes, he made racist comments, yes, he wore a Nazi uniform to a Colonials and Natives party, and yes he partied naked in Las Vegas. He also used drugs and was a heavy drinker.

He has visibly grown and changed as he has aged, part of why so many like him. His amazing work with Prince Seeiso with Sentebale, his marriage to Meghan, and his current championing of racial equality are all signs that he has grown as a man. It is precisely because he has confronted his own prejudices and grown that I like him. I believe in redemption.

... In contrast to some here on Mumsnet who simply can't confront their racial biases. I have been called "ill-educated" and "angry" on just this thread alone!

Harry has very definitely not always been likeable over the years - I think you need to do a bit of reading up on him.

I have followed Harry's story since his mother died. I look forward to "do(ing) a bit of read(ing) up on him" in his own words, in his memoir, which I have ordered.

Reading that Diana used to joke that Harry was the spare, to his face, which I assume was ironic, I wonder whether, without realising it, she let her own whimsical dissatisfaction with the British establishment and Royal Family communication itself to her children and give them a feeling of being persecuted or of needing to be wary. Ditto the newspapers whose publicity, nearly always very favourable, she was delighted to encourage.

I was surprised to learn that she said to her son....something along the lines of "Oh you're here to be the spare .' which is too complex a concept for a young child to engage with.

I feel more understanding of Harry's attitude having read about that.

If that is the case, then it might explain Harry's chip on his shoulder and suspicion.

Who's the source of Diana saying that ('spare') to him, because that's really troubling if true.

Quite @Diverseopinions

Then there is also the fact that Charles apparently wanted a daughter, and was disappointed when Harry came. Hope to goodness that was not conveyed to him!!

That was very much a ‘drop the mic’ moment. That has to be one of the few intelligent narratives I’ve encountered on this platform. You almost restored my faith 👏