Prince Harry Stands by His Words: ‘My Conscience is Clear’
THE RYDER CUP OF ROYAL FAMILY DRAMA: PRINCE HARRY SAYS HIS TELL-ALL MEMOIR WASN'T ABOUT REVENGE, BUT ABOUT SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
In a shocking turn of events, Prince Harry has come out swinging in the latest installment of the Royal Family's never-ending soap opera. The Duke of Sussex, who is celebrating his 41st birthday tomorrow, has spoken out about his tell-all memoir Spare and Netflix series, claiming they were "not about revenge" but rather about setting the record straight.
Harry made these remarks during a visit to war-torn Ukraine, where he met with wounded veterans and promoted the Invictus Games. The timing of his visit is no coincidence, coming just days after a 54-minute reconciliation meeting with his father, King Charles III. It was the first time the two had seen each other in 19 months, and although Harry says the focus should be on his dad in the next year, he insists his conscience is clear.
A REVENGE TACO?
When questioned about his book, which made headlines with its explosive claims of family feuds and personal struggles, Harry insisted it was simply a matter of correcting false narratives. "The book? It was a series of corrections to stories already out there," he said in an interview with The Guardian. "One point of view had been put out, and it needed to be corrected."
But what about the allegations against his brother, Prince William? Specifically, Harry's claim that William left him with visible scrapes and bruises after an alleged attack? Harry was characteristically cagey on this topic, but did hint at a deeper issue: "You cannot have reconciliation before you have truth," he said.
MEGHAN'S WISDOM
It seems Prince Harry took his wife Meghan's advice to heart when it came to writing Spare. When asked about the book, she told him simply to "stick to the truth." And stick to the truth he did – with some surprising results.
Spare dropped bombshell after bombshell, from allegations of family favoritism to personal struggles with addiction. Harry claimed that King Charles put his own interests above his second son's and even referenced taking cocaine, marijuana, and psychedelic mushrooms. (Spoiler alert: he's since said they were "just a few times" and not a big deal.)
THE FAM'S FAMILY FEUD
It's been clear for months now that the Royal Family is in disarray. But with Prince William refusing to meet Harry despite being just a few miles apart at one point, it seems things have reached a boiling point.
In a bizarre twist, it's rumored that the King begged his warring sons "not to make his final years a misery" during an anguished meeting at Windsor Castle in 2023. While Charles has engaged with Harry this week, William remained resolute in his refusal to meet his brother.
A NEW BEGINNING?
As we reported last week, the past few days may be the start of something new for the Royal Family – a chance to rebuild and reconcile after years of tension. "It's become clear that Harry now regrets some of his actions," said a source close to the family. "He wants to reset his relationship with his family and with the people of the UK."
But don't expect Prince William to be leading the charge anytime soon. As one insider put it, "It's hard to see him ever coming back to live in Britain" – but perhaps this is a start.
Harry wrapped up his trip with a visit to a charity set up in memory of his mother, Princess Diana, just a day after reuniting with the King for the first time in 19 months. His spokesperson gave an upbeat review of the UK tour, saying: "He's obviously loved being back in the UK, catching up with old friends, colleagues and just generally being able to support the incredible work of the causes that mean so much to him."
It remains to be seen whether this will lead to a full-fledged reconciliation – but one thing is certain: Prince Harry has certainly made his feelings clear.
Sources: The Guardian, The Scholarly Note
