Inconsistencies in Spare over hearing about Queen Mother's death

[Ridemeginger]

Harry writes that he found out about the Queen Mother's passing away (in March 2002):

"At Eton, while studying, I took the call. I wish I could remember whose voice was on the other end. A courtiers I believe. I recall that is was just before Easter, the weather bright and warm, light slanting through my window, filled with vivid colours. "Your Royal Highness. The Queen Mother has died." "

News reports at the time reported he was skiing in Switzerland with Charles and William. The Queen Mother died on 30 March 2002. Easter Saturday. He wouldn't have been at school.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/622457.stm

Recollections may vary, indeed! I doubt very much Harry would have taken the call if he's been with his father.

Didn't the editors do any fact checking?

Is that your way of saying you were wrong ?
Apology accepted .

As batshit crazy as making £36mn personal profit attacking your family and endangering British soldiers?

I think it’s an interesting thread about memory, ghost writing and the nature of memoirs.

But really this is just a batshit crazy attack Harry thread.

If you didn’t want to know about the inconsistencies in the book, why bother opening the thread?

He published the book, these are his words. The public are perfectly entitled to read it and notice when it contains something untrue.

Because that is an important event for a child. It is a very disappointing present.

Well he did say that at 17 he was high on stuff do maybe it was all a blur.

But really this is just a batshit crazy attack Harry thread.

Well bits of it are batshit granted, but I don't think it's due to those posting facts.

You don't understand death do you?
What a weird thing to say? Can there be anyone on here who has not been touched by the death of a loved one?

You are joking. This is the best PR they’ve had in decades.

@JemimaTiggywinkles I was interested. But to see such a tiny minor confusion over two family deaths less than two months apart is no big deal. It is so trivial.

I suppose where he was when his great Nanna died 20 years ago is a fairly banal issue.

Except it's not. He's describing himself at Eton, hearing this dreadful news from a mere courtier, all alone and without comfort. It's not what he says here, it's what is un-writtten but suggested - that his family didn't care about him, that he had to deal with the news at school, all by himself, that his Dad was somehow remisss and an uncaring parent. That's what's being portrayed here, so it's not a banal issue at all. He's twisting the story to suit a narrative. A narrative that he - poor Harry - is hard done by and that the rest of the family are uncaring. It's a horrible manipulation.

He was 17.

I'm sorry, hearing about the death of a relative to whom you weren't close by that means really isn't going to be that big a deal. I can vaguely remember being told of the deaths of relatives to whom my relationship was similar, the response was more or less "Oh, right, should I send a card?". I wasn't all offended and hurt because my parents hadn't carefully sat me down immediately and broken it to me ever so gently, because it would have been hypocritical and absurd.

Well I'll say it. How very dare you, @BradfordGirl . Plenty of us have experienced death. Cheap points to defend the indefensible.

I think it’s an interesting thread about memory, ghost writing and the nature of memoirs.

And history too. There’s a reason historians place way more emphasis on contemporaneous sources than those documented significantly after the fact. This is a good example of that. The “memory of 20 years ago” version is provably incorrect.

@JaneJeffer Anyone who has lost family members should know that memory over details can become confused. It is very common.

Please tell me you are joking?

It's absolutely amazing that no matter how much bullshit Harry spouts there are people who still believe every word. Even when there is proof that it's not true.

It’s probably more common for people off their face on recreational drugs.

That was my thought.

Agree although there are some well known defenders rather quiet .

Absolutely not! I have a vivid memory of my disappointment when my Christmas present from my grandmother did not contain the usual Christmas sweets. My mum was a fan of healthy eating so the sweets were a big deal to me as a child.

As I don't have a large extended family, I can't comment. I only know, that, every death I've dealt with has been hard. But, as I said, we're all different.

"in the mind of a twelve-year-old, the dates became confused."

He was 17. And a half, to be strictly accurate.

TBH I very much doubt he's conflating the two anyway. Margaret died in early February, there's hardly likely to be vibrant colours outside your window then.

Harry was clearly in Switzerland. Confusion over the two deaths is the most likely explanation. Especially as Margaret's death may have brought up grief from his mother's death.

It's absolutely amazing that no matter how much bullshit Harry spouts there are people who still believe every word. Even when there is proof that it's not true.

I know, it's equally frustrating and funny!