BookLife Review: Spare by Prince Harry
memoir, coming of age,Royal Family, Prince Harry, mental health, childhood trauma, death of a parent, military service, paparazzi, betrayal, Royal Media, celebrity, family discord, Botswana, veterans
Prince Harry of England (@princeharryofengland ) spills the beans. I confess I was skeptical. I had already binged the Netflix show, and while I found it surprisingly captivating and sympathetic, I expected Spare to be a repeat of the documentary. In the book, however, I was delighted to find a different story—a rich and imminently readable coming of age story, with striking and meaningful details and an open and candid voice.
Twelve year-old Harry's pain, denial, isolation and immersion in make-believe thinking surrounding the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana, was heart-rending. His experiences of service and healing in Botswana were up-lifting. The grit and intensity of British military and helicopter training was eye-opening and a beautiful tribute to all those who serve without fanfare and recognition, soldiers who suffer body, mind and soul as a consequence. Harry’s candor about his own mental health struggles goes miles and miles toward de-stigmatizing and bringing awareness to this ubiquitous struggle.
The book’s final section about media and marriage and betrayal does align with the Netflix documentary and allow the reader to ache for the familial strain, betrayals and institutional dysfunction that robs Royal Family members of basic affection and honest communications with one another.
I left this book grateful for what it does to educate us all on Botswana and its beauty, mental illness, arising from both grief and veteran PTSD, and our obligation to honor, respect and care for our veterans, especially our wounded warriors, both physically and mentally.