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.

Did he really have frostbite. I doubt it.

"Photos or it didn't happen" 😎

No no no photos 🥶

No no no photos 🥶

Seen one you've seen 'em all 😎

But that aside we're due a cold spell and a before and after might work wonders for Elizabeth Arden's sales. Maybe hard up Harold could even claim a commission 🤑

This is NUTS.

You read bits and feel able to review it?

The impact on me was that it confirmed that Harry is incredibly spiteful and petty.

You read extracts and from that come to this - incredibly spiteful and petty.

Unbelievable.

I thought he was in my mind when he described the emotion a child feels when they loose a parent unexpectedly.

He described my emotional life, right up to being a young adult, the alternate secret world I created in my mind, the various ways I tried to fill the hole inside of me, and the anger I felt.

I was so grateful - it is the first time in my life, aged 54, that someone "got it". For the first time I realized that my secret world is actually not exclusive to me, not shameful and is simply part of dealing with an unexpected death of a parent.

I also thanked God that I am not in the public eye like him.

His discourse on soldiers coming back from war and into civilian life was very moving and I think must be a huge benefit to them.

I found a lot of generosity in him. I also found a lot of rationality.

I am so surprised by the bitterness and petty anger of some posters.

He was very generous to his family in the book.

He did not over step.

It would be better for you read it before stating things like that - you cannot back that staement up from excerpts.

He states, very clearly, that thousands of words have been written about him at every stage of his life.

This is his version of all of it.

Nothing more than that.

If all you take from the book is the frost bitten penis it says more about you than the book to be honest.

Especially as he knows they don’t have the same platform to clap back. Also the way he talks about the staff at the palace, crystallises how he views the ‘little people’, especially wheh they don’t play the role of ‘yes men’.

This is simply untrue. He was talking about very powerful people in the Palace who controled access to the queen. In fact it was clear that she had to do some ducking and diving to get to see PH at a certain point.

That should alarm people.

Very well said @andIsaid

Totally agree. And it's interesting and poignant to hear from @andIsaid who also lost a parent at a young age and to actually hear about how it resounds with them as to what Harry has written.

Reading excerpts is quite obviously the salacious DM headlines when it came out. These bits count for probably less than 5% of the book and it is really embarrassing to write such horrible stuff about the book when you've never actually read it!

@andIsaid

Is that you, Meghan?

And there we have it. @andIsaid has just described the feelings of being a bereaved child. Can't think of an intelligent response so comes.out with a shitty remark.

@andIsaid that is your perspective- others are allowed theirs.

Has @andIsaid that you're not allowed yours?

It doesn't alarm people, because since this book, I do not think people place any reliance on what Harry says. His recollections do not add up with verifiable events (eg he says he was in school when it can easily be demonstrated that he was on holiday)

So here we have to rely on both his recollection of what happened and/or what was said and in addition, accept his interpretation.

I don't think that the overall reliability of his narration is such that we can be sure that any of it happened as he said (though it must of course be very real to him)

How horrible to dismiss someone's thoughts and feelings on being bereaved at a young age with a pathetic post asking if they're Meghan. Where's the empathy on MN gone.

Pilates, that thoughtful poser is not stopping you posting your opinion, you are quite prolific in expressing it

Roussette, the second paragraph is a bit rich coming from you. Pot and kettle 😂

It's obvious the palace has power. How is it the King is above the law. Prince Andrew has paid out hush money.

There is a big difference between not being to remember exact dates from your school days and talking about corrupt palace officials who abuse their power.

Do you fully the palaces version of events then?

No.

Not unless Megan is in her 50s with grey hair, creaky knees and a spelling issue.

Agreed.