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!

Was anyone else shocked at the price being £28? I always buy Audio or Kindle books so I was really surprised!

Also really surprised it's not been published before Christmas as I thought that would help generate sales

I imagine one reason it'll all be released simultaneously is because what will sell it is the gossip inside, not the writing style or the narrative or the language.

It's information, not composition, that will drive the sales.

This means that if anyone waits to publish, the hook for the book (the secrets) will be spoiled. It's a flashbang kind of a book, with a lot of power but a very short shelf life.

It's not like a best-selling romance, say, where the narrative is the joy. We all know they'll get together at the end of Bridgerton, for instance, because that's the point of romances. Instead, it's about getting to know the characters, being delighted by phrases, etc. And it's certainly not like actual literature, where the aesthetic and form is vital.

Instead, it's informational and ripe for spoiling. TMZ, the Daily Mail, Twitter, etc. will destroy the novelty as quickly as they can, which will drive sales way down.

So they have to publish simultaneously, because it's the only way of making the money back.

I'll read it, and I've never read a royal book before. I'm not a royalist but I find all the customs and formalities interesting so will be reading as much for the little details as for the stuff that'll be in the headlines.

I'm of the view that they haven't necessarily gone about things in the right way every time, and tbh I find their delivery a little irritating - but I believe the core of what they're saying in terms. It'll be a very interesting read and I think the title and cover are excellent. Many angry people in palace offices yesterday I think.

@milti, I’m no fan of Harry and Meghan but you’ve sunk as low as a person can get with your post.

Being as ugly as you are on the inside is never a good look and there’s no need to be advertising who and what you are.

@ShamedBySiri - I think your correct with the reason for the cover picture of the book

I can predict with absolute certainty that British tabloids will not be licensed to publish excerpts of Harry's memoir

How can you be so certain? Surely the publishers will sell the serialisation rights to the highest bidder i.e. the Daily Mail or The Times. Or do you have insider knowledge that PH stipulated they couldn't do that?

I imagine one reason it'll all be released simultaneously is because what will sell it is the gossip inside, not the writing style or the narrative or the language

I read it's been ghost written by the man who wrote Andre Agassi's autobiography.

Also really surprised it's not been published before Christmas as I thought that would help generate sales

Allegedly the release was delayed from November to give PH the opportunity to write about the Queen's death.

Gosh are people still that invested and interested in the Royals.
Hopefully after these 'revelations' that will be the last of the forensic investigation and reporting on our Royals and they will get some peace.

Half price already in WH Smiths £14 (sorry if this has already been posted)

I read it was delayed due to Michelle Obamas book coming out so it would not clash

What makes you think he'll start that now? For one thing it wouldn't sell books. The title sets the tone, IMO.

Poor privileged prince.

Really interesting OP. I hadn't even heard he has a book coming out and I won't be reading it but I found your opening facts really interesting @MrsMaxDeWinter

I feel like it just makes PH look a bit sad that he's worked so hard (or someone has!) to present himself this way and that the whole Spare thing is such an issue when as a PP said, he has had such a privileged life. I mean would MM have looked twice at him of he was just Harry the ex soldier living on a soldier pension?

MrsMaxdeWinter

Yes, the phenomenon shows that the British Royal Family is incredibly popular around the world. It shows that etiquette and arcane rules still have some meaning and fascination to people who like the elegance of how, what used to be the 'higher' social classes - back in the old-fashioned past, organise their important events.

As long as Harry realises that people are interested in royalty, not in his personality, he'll do ok. But he needs to avoid being manipulated by money men who only want the intimate, sometimes 'juicy' details he has the power to impart. If he asks himself why the book isn't titled: 'Not the Man I Was Born....but the man I've become' ( his preference), he'll get the message eventually.

Next task is to focus on one meaningful crusade, something the Invictus Games shows he's good at, and make sure he doesn't become a 'spare' part on anyone else's rolling juggernaut of driving ambition.

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

Thank fuck! would be my response who wants to spend your life opening hospitals, talking to random (often boring) people.

He's a lucky sod - unfortunately was brought up by damaged parents. But how many of us have a perfect childhood. He lost his DM suddenly but doesn't warrant destroying everyone else.

😂😂😂

I am hundred per cent certain no tabloid will be allowed to serialise this book. The most they will do is use tidbits as clickbait, and of course the endless commentary and reviews.

Harry and Meghan issued a press release in 2020 with a list of tabloids that they will not work with. They have stuck to that strategy since then. Prince Harry is also one of a group currently suing the Daily Mail for interception of private communications, not to mention that he has sued them before and won on another matter, as has Meghan who sued them successfully for publishing her letter to her father.

@Zonder I feel like it just makes PH look a bit sad that he's worked so hard (or someone has!) to present himself this way and that the whole Spare thing is such an issue when as a PP said, he has had such a privileged life.

Of course he has had a privileged life. A privileged life in which it was made clear by both his family and the media that he was the spare to the heir. Even his own mother said because he is the spare and not the heir, she felt a special responsibility to make him feel valued. Then she died.

Even wealthy people are allowed to have and express feelings about how they were raised or felt unvalued, and to talk about grief and sadness and loss.

He may have been privileged, but the Royal Family is the poster family for the golden chid versus scapegoat dynamic, I mean, the whole constitutional monarchy is built around primogeniture. So of course his life course was set by the fact that he was not born first.

Good on him for taking it on so squarely.

Hi Cats

I don’t understand why they -his father, his brother) can’t respond publically?

I was about to reply the same.

They absolutely could. They might personally not feel they would want to, but physically they could.

They only 'cant' due to some silly idea of 'official royal protocol' which is a made up thing for a house of insane privilege where slightly inbred ordinary people get to live a life of luxury, with the best medical care for literally no reason other than outdated 'tradition'. None of its real! None of it. They could do whatever the fuck they want. Except if they do they get treated like Harry and Meghan because our idea of 'family' in this country is also fucking bonkers. Loyalty to the expense of sanity.

I can’t wait not to read it. A load of whingeing by the world’s most uninteresting bloke of how awful it is to be rich

'first born child versus scapegoat dynamic' - first world problems; first world problems; first world problem.

Add to that millions of pounds in inheritance: elite problem.

How would anybody cope with being part of a step family, if the position in which you were born, even, has so much significance. It's not a big deal.

Living positively is about shining attention on really serious problems, like Harry used to do, when he used his fame to being injured servicemen's reality some recognition.

Many children of famous stars have published autobiographies telling how overshadowed they were by their parents. I don't think any reader has ever felt real sympathy for this position. This type of tell- all tends to shine a light on the talents of the parents. The poor 'spare' narrative is just a different version of the 'in the shadow' story and anyone would say: 'Don't be defined by the accident if your birth'.

I think people are appalled by Harry's enterprises because modern royalty is about the royals being there to big up ordinary volunteers who serve the community. The members of the RF are not really supposed to big up themselves - seeing as their fame is based on tax payers largesse. They are in role on sufferance, but they start to make Royalty too much about themselves as individuals, the public might vote them out. So not even focusing on your own talents, but rather garnering sympathy for the role you didn't have, when you are so privileged, is just not going to resonate positively with people.

But I'm sure Harry wanted the book to be about ' the man he has become', and I feel sympathy that he has probably been pushed down a route he didn't really want.

It is all about money - H& M desperately cashing in on their celebrity status to a gullible public. Sorry this person is not that gullible. I don’t want to read the tabloid tat thanks!

I suspect the book will actually prove to be a bit of a let down. It will wax on about all the various slights he's felt over the years from his dad and brother, it'll hint at racism with meghan etc but there won't be any big bombshells. There won't be any revelations about Edward shagging Natasha Kaplinsky in the drawing room or Andrew having s and m parties in the London Dungeon or Phillip being a cross dresser. It won't cross any major lines and will just be an ongoing winge-fest.

What rubbish. They are incredibly privileged yet spend their days whinging and complaining about everyone and everything. Zero sympathy from me

I agree. I most certainly won't be reading this "poor me" rubbish, and if any of the media wish to publish excerpts I will be giving them a wide berth. Honestly, anyone who wishes to read a load of whining from a spoilt brat needs their head examining. A fool and his money comes to mind.

My sentiments precisely.

I wonder what sort of legal read the book has had. I'd advise an author who was writing a book like this to get permission from everyone he talks about in the book first, or else you lay yourself open to law suits and accusations of libel.

I'd also advise them to think about the long-term consequences of publishing. Sometimes it's better to write, then do nothing with the wrong. But of course, then you won't be paid the big bucks...

This will steely out the final nail in the coffin of Harry's relationship with the RF. I hope it's worth it.