I knew I was going to love Spare before I even read it.
In all honesty, I was predisposed to love it:
I’m that girl who got up at 6am to watch Kate Middleton marry Prince William and risked being late for her train because I didn’t want to leave the house before she walked down the aisle.
I’m that girl baked scones at 5am and donned a fascinator when Prince Harry married Megan Markle.
I’ve seen every season of The Crown, and I’m always excited to see what Kate wears to a royal function – the fancier, the better.
As much as I love royal-watching, though, I’m keenly aware that appearances are deceiving. When Harry and Meghan announced they were “stepping down,” I wasn’t surprised – because I don’t think I could have lived in Prince Harry’s family, either.
What’s Spare about?
Prince Harry’s memoir is pretty straightforward in terms of content. He writes surprisingly well, though I’m sure he had help from a ghostwriter, and I appreciated the candor with which he tackles difficult subjects.
And, there are a lot of those in the book: the loss of his mother; Harry’s own mental health; the relationship between him and his father, and with his brother; his hatred of the paparazzi; his experiences in the war; his experiments with drugs; and, perhaps the most shocking of them all, his decision to “step down” that drove the proverbial wedge between him and his family.
Is Spare just about Harry and Meghan’s romance?
While my favorite part of Spare was the part that talks about Harry and Meghan’s romance, there’s actually a lot more to this memoir than that. You’ve probably heard that Spare goes into a lot of heavy stuff. And it’s true. This book is divided into three parts, and two-thirds of this memoir is pretty damn depressing.
Harry’s early years comprise Part 1 of Spare. His childhood, post-Diana’s death up until he’s a young man. It’s as bleak as you’d imagine, and then some. ‘Nuff said.
Then there’s Part 2: the war years. This section is long. Honestly, longer than I would have liked it to be. But, I can see why this section is important. Harry saw a lot of shit. He survived a lot of shit. I think when you go through something that, you’re not willing to take shit from anyone else.
And this is what sets the stage for Part 3.
What I loved about Spare
Let’s be real: most of us read Spare for Part 3 – When Harry Met Meghan. I mean, that’s why I wanted to read this book.
Don’t skip Parts 1 and 2, though. Even if you’re tempted to. (You will be.) Reading about the hell that Harry went through before meeting Meghan is important to understanding why everything changed once he met her.
Part 3 of Spare is everything. If you’re #TeamHarryAndMeghan, this section is your reward for making it through the first two sections of the memoir. Harry and Meghan’s love story is electric. Hopeful. Inspiring. I loved learning about their first texts, phone calls, and meet ups. Harry is so wonderfully open about how much he loves his wife, and that candor struck a chord in me.
As someone who wore five bridesmaid dresses before finally putting on a wedding gown, I know what is to wonder where Your Person is. And I know how magical and wondrous it is to finally, finally find each other. When Harry meets Meghan and wonders, Where have you been? What took you so long? – it makes you understand the bond between him and this woman who came into his life after so much hardship, struggle, and depression.
And, if you understand that bond, you understand everything else that comes afterward for Harry and Meghan. When Harry tells you what he and his wife went through with the paparazzi and his family, and with Meghan’s family and the media, you understand why he went to the extremes he did to preserve his marriage, and why he decided to speak up about how he feels he and Meghan were wronged.
My two cents: do I think the details about the royal family in Spare are true?
I was blown away by how openly Spare discusses mental health and family dynamics. Yes, what Harry reveals about his family could be considered scandalous. But, a very large part of me thinks that a lot of it – if not all of it – is true.
Families dynamics are complex. At the end of the day, the royals are just a group of people tied together by blood who are trying to muddle along best they can, even though they might not always like each other. Throw royal duty into that mix, and it’s bound to be disastrous. Just because they have wealth and privilege doesn’t mean that some (many) of them can’t be disappointing people. (Ahem, Prince Andrew.)
Royals – they’re just like us.
Should you read Spare?
This book is obviously not for everyone. I don’t have to tell you how divisive Spare has been, for readers and royal family members alike. Some people love Prince Harry’s memoir and think it’s a brave reveal of his difficult situation. However, others think Harry is a whiny little bitch who has no right to complain because he’s royalty.
I think the Oprah and Netflix special should be your guides. If you loved those shows (as I did), then you’re going to get sucked into Spare. And, if you’re an advocate for mental health, I think you’ll really appreciate how openly Harry talks about his struggles with depression.
What’s the book-inspired recipe for Spare?
Book-inspired recipes are coming back, Tartlets! Check back in soon for Cherry Chocolate Chip Scones.
I’ve not read the book, so thanks for your honest review!
If you think the topics are interesting, I hope you give it a read! For me, it was definitely worth it.