Happy Birthday, Spare!

[EncantoSpice]

It’s the one year anniversary of the release of Spare, how are you all celebrating?!

In all seriousness, a year on what impact do you think the book has had on the Royal Family and the Sussexes?

In my opinion it clearly did very well commercially but in popular culture it became a bit of a joke. In terms of the RF I’m not sure it made much difference - to people who already didn’t like them it confirmed what they already believed, to people who did like them it was more evidence that Harry was no loss. I also think even a year later it has made reconciliation between William and Harry impossible.

They really pulled a blinder with the pr

And someone could have gone blind pulling his 8houred PlonkeR.

Sentences, like recollections, can vary and take on whole other meanings. Often the case it seems.

Andrew might be 'largely eliminated' but he still lives in a 98 acre Royal Estate with his ex wife of 30 years (so bankrolled by us) He still wears the dress up garb when he can. He still speaks to the public when he can.
If that was Harry living in such an Estate, posters on here would implode!

I don't think Harry was or is problematic for lots of reasons.

Harry lived in castles, palaces, mansions whatever all his life. No-one "imploded".

Don't get your point. I am talking about now and in the future.

MN implosion is to MN outrage to some as MN collective snort is to MN incredulity/derision to others.

PA should be turfed out.

PH turfed himself out.

Round and round

To answer the OP's questions.

Harry, with Spare has tapped into the whole culture of holding social currency through victimhood. So it fits in with the zeitgeist (much to the distress of those of us who have had reason to live our lives in this way and who haven't, and who are trying to prevent their children falling into this hole). He's evidently made a lot of money out of it and sold a record breaking number of copies. And I would say the book has transcended any need to actually read it, insofar as there is enough information out there for certain things to be immediately associated with the book. Mostly silly things, but that's the calculated risk the publishers and Harry took when including them. It would have been very naive to have supposed otherwise, and I doubt the publishers are naive. They knew what they were doing.

So it is a commercial and cultural success. However, is it a personal success? If it has given Harry catharsis and he doesn't care about the follow on ridicule, then yes, of course. However, in my opinion, he lost all credibility with the book. Too many of his anecdotes were too exaggerated, mean spirited and petty, and unfortunately placed a cloud over the more thoughtful parts. The Tom Bradby interview and the reverse ferret on the racism issue was the nail in the coffin of credibility. The South Park episode fixed the book on the map of absurdity. Money earned and catharsis at the expense of my familial respect and societal credibility, to me, is a net deficit. Perhaps not to him though. And clearly not to a lot of organisations still working with him - although perhaps the attention they are receiving through the association is not exactly what they were hoping for.

I don't think the book can be seen in isolation. It is part of the cumulative effect of Oprah, Netflix, all the interviews. I think he has sealed his commercial value to future partners in the form of more of the same sort of sensational exposure. Perhaps in time that will change.

Well I'm talking about Harry's lived life.
Significant, enormous and continuing wealth and privilege.

Excellent summary, @Ridemeginger .
"Success" can mean different things.

Evening all!

To respond to the OP's questions...

The fundamental problem with the whole 'carving a new role' thing, for me, was that Harry isn't actually qualified to do that. He had no apparent marketable skills, except being the RF 'cheeky chappie', and I haven't see any signs that he does have hidden talents.

Which wouldn't be a problem if he wants a quiet life on his inherited millions, but if he wants an more expensive lifestyle then he needs to find a source of income. Without much to sell, except family gossip. But how long will that keep selling? I would have thought it was a bit of a diminishing returns situation.

Whether he's happy now he's put it all out there, who knows?

He certainly doesn't want a quiet lifestyle!

Still don't get your point, sorry. If he was to come back to the UK and live on a massive Royal Estate (like Andrew) there would be an implosion. And Andrew has done worse IMHO

To be honest, I get the impression he doesn't know what he wants!

There would be no implosion.

Andrew has done worse
No shit! We all know that. Just being better than him is a pretty low bar.

Quite.

That's naive! He only has to be pictured on holiday or go to a function and there's outrage and picking apart of literally everything.

If he was in the UK and living in Windsor Great park... I dread to think!

Well he isn’t thankfully.

That bridge can be crossed as and when. If ever.

But he hasn't put his whole narrative into victim hood. You've not read the book because there's enough information out there but it the tabloids had put their slant on it. Being distressed over a book is a bit daft. Harry is not responsible for your children.

I don't know what Harry's intention was in writing this book. He might just have wante to make lots of money. None of us in Are in his head

But you don't know what he wants so the rest of your post is meaningless.

Rebranding?

You can wrap it up as Starburst. It is still Opal Fruits inside.

Same goes…