Prince Harry dropped his bombshell memoir Spare three years ago as the book lifted the lid on royal life and left more than a few bruised feelings behind palace walls.
From family rows to deeply personal revelations, the Duke of Sussex did not hold back, even when it came to his sister-in-law, Princess Catherine.
Released on January 10, 2023, the book sent shockwaves through the royal household.
Harry revisited his upbringing and the fallout from his decision to step away from senior royal duties.
And according to one royal commentator, the memoir crossed a line the family has long lived by, the famous rule of “never complain, never explain”.
What did Prince Harry say about Kate Middleton in his memoir Spare?
Royal author Katie Nicholl has spoken openly about the impact Spare had, particularly the “snide” remarks she says were aimed at the Princess of Wales.
According to Nicholl, Princess Catherine felt “hurt and disappointed” after reading Harry’s account.
In Spare, Harry revisited the bridesmaid dress dispute involving his wife Meghan Markle and Kate.
Months after Harry and Meghan married in May 2018, reports claimed Kate was reduced to tears in the lead-up to the nuptials. The pair reportedly had a disagreement over Princess Charlotte’s bridesmaid dress not fitting correctly. However, during her 2021 Oprah interview, Meghan insisted the situation had been misrepresented. She said she had been the one left in tears.
Harry broke the one rule and that is staying silent on family matters.
In his memoir, Harry described Kate allegedly asking for the dress to be remade just days before the wedding. He said she later agreed to take Charlotte to the tailor herself. Despite this, Harry claimed he later found Meghan “on the floor” in tears.
Elsewhere in Spare, Harry also alleged that Prince William and Kate had encouraged him to wear a Nazi costume to a fancy dress party in 2005. He described the incident as “one of the biggest mistakes of my life”.
Prince Harry ‘broke royal rule’ with memoir Spare
Nicholl believes the fallout from the memoir permanently altered Harry’s relationship with Kate. Their bond was once said to be one of warmth and trust.
Speaking to The Sun‘s Fabulous magazine in late 2023, she said: “When you think of the personal revelations, and I think you can call them snide remarks made about Kate in Spare, Harry broke the one rule and that is staying silent on family matters.
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“While Kate and Harry used to be very, very close, there’s been a complete breakdown of that relationship. I don’t think Kate does angry.”
She added that Kate likely felt “very disappointed, very let down and hurt” as she had “no right of reply”.
Representatives for Kensington Palace have been contacted for comment.
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