It’s the much-anticipated and widely leaked memoir that has become the U.K.’s fastest-selling nonfiction book ever, recording figures of 400,000 on its first day on sale. Of course, I’m talking about Prince Harry’s controversial autobiography “Spare.” The only book to have sold more copies on its day of release is by the other Harry – Potter that is.
“Spare” which was released on January 10, has provided more than its fair share of headlines, thanks to the leaks that hit newsrooms a week before its official release. Speaking on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Harry described these leaks as ‘hurtful and challenging’, saying, “My words are not dangerous – but the spin of my words are very dangerous to my family”.
In the 410 pages of "Spare" there are many laugh-out-loud, emotional, surprising, what-the-hell moments. Here are my top takeaways that didn’t make the headlines…
Prince Harry uses Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream – but not for what you may think…
In April 2011, Prince Harry joined a group of wounded soldiers called Walking with the Wounded on a trek to the North Pole. The soldiers were attempting to become the first amputees ever to reach the pole unsupported. Unfortunately, Harry underestimated how many layers he would have to wear on the trip and end up with frostbite in his genital area. Harry had to endure this frostbite during the wedding of his brother Prince William to Kate Middleton, which took place only a few days after he returned to the U.K. from the North Pole.
But by the time the newlyweds were off on honeymoon Harry’s penis was, “oscillating between extremely sensitive and borderline traumatized.” A friend suggested he used Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Skin Protectant Cream on the area, which he said felt “weird”. We expect tubes to be flying off the shelves any day now…
Prince Harry does his own laundry
If you think that being a Prince and living in – or in Harry’s case near – a palace means servants on hand all the time you would be mistaken. When Harry was living at Nottingham Cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace he did his own laundry, “often laid out on radiators,” he says, “I did my own chores, my own cooking, my own food shopping.” He also said his dad’s chef would often stock the fridge for him with home-cooked food so it seems he didn’t have to do too much cooking.
Prince Harry was almost mauled by a leopard
Harry enjoys spending time in Africa and the first time he went to Botswana was in 1999. He went on safari with his brother and a large group and camped out in the desert every night.
Harry was having the time of his life until one evening, just after dinner, a leopard got into the camping area where they were staying. Everyone else was in shock and frozen to the spot, apart from Harry who writes that he took a step towards the leopard. Harry says, “I turned back in time to see all the adults look at one another, mouths open…. They were all thinking the same thing, picturing the same banner headline back home. Prince Harry Mauled by Leopard.”
Touchingly, Harry went on to say that at the time he was thinking about his mother and thought she had sent the leopard to him as a sign to say that “all is well and all will be well”.
He once smoked basil leaves and thought it was marijuana
On that same safari trip in Botswana, Harry was feeling a little left out of the adult time with the trackers, guides and his brother William and wanted to be one of the grown-ups. While they were telling stories around the campfire one night, Harry noticed the smell of marijuana filled the air and asked if he would try some. His brother was horrified but most of the adults just exchanged sly glances. He writes, “One shrugged, rolled a new joint, passed it to me. I took a puff.
Coughed, retched. African weed was much harsher than Eton weed. And the high was less too. But at least I was a man. No. I was still a wee baby. The “joint” was just fresh basil wrapped in a bit of filthy rolling paper.” Well, that’s one way to use basil…
His mother was not the only person he lost that was close to him
Henry van Straubenzee or Henners, as he was known, was Prince Harry’s best friend and he had known him since his school days at Ludgrove. He sadly died at the age of 18 when he was in a car accident near Ludgrove. Henry was described as “the first to see light in every moment” as well as “kind, thoughtful and extremely funny.” Harry movingly describes his death saying, “Just like Mummy. And yet, unlike Mummy, there was no way to spin this as a disappearance.
This was death, no two ways about it. Also, unlike Mummy, Henners wasn’t going that fast. Because he wasn’t being chased. Twenty miles per hour, tops, everyone said. And yet the car went straight into an old tree. Old ones, someone explained, are much harder than young ones.”
Harry was dressed up as a chicken for his stag do
Before his wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018, Harry had his stag do at a friend’s house in Hampshire with his brother and fifteen of his friends.
He reportedly turned up ready to party, after a stressful few weeks of wedding planning and ready to blow off some pre-wedding steam. The host has kitted out the tennis court with toys such as giant boxing gloves, a mechanical bull, and bows and arrows. In a makeshift barn was a shooting range. Harry writes, “When everyone was bored of firing rifles, they dressed me as a giant yellow-feathered chicken and sent me downrange to shoot fireworks at me.” If only there were pictures of this…
