Is the paperback of Prince Harry’s book a royal olive branch? Sigh of relief as new edition of memoir Spare WON’T be updated

Prince Harry is finally set to bring out the paperback edition of his vitriolic memoir, Spare.

However the Royal Family is likely to breathe a sigh of relief after it was announced by his publisher that the book would not be updated from its hardback form, a somewhat unusual move for an international bestseller.

Unfortunately, however, its October release will clash with King Charles’ high-profile appearance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa, the first time he has attended since acceding the throne and becoming head of the global organisation.

The meeting will be held from October 21-25 with Harry’s paperback being published in the US on October 22 and then the UK two days later.

Prince Harry is finally set to bring out the paperback edition of his vitriolic memoir, Spare

Lady Louise Windsor at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in Windsor, Berkshire, on May 5, 2024

Buckingham Palace announced back in July that the monarch planned to attend despite his ongoing cancer treatment as part of an Autumn tour in October that will also take in Australia.

The re-issue of Spare will also re-ignite bombshell claims made by the prince against his estranged family including allegations that Prince William broke his necklace and shoved him onto a dog bowl which smashed during a particularly explosive row.

He also recalled numerous private family conversations between himself, his father and brother, and shone a spotlight on difficulties between his wife and the then Duchess of Cambridge – including Kate’s reaction to Meghan saying she had ‘baby brain’.

Publishers Penguin Random House announced yesterday that Spare’s new imprint would be published in 16 languages worldwide.

It will have the same cover image as the hardcover edition, a newly-designed package but ‘the contents of the book are unchanged’.

Questions had been raised as to whether Harry would, like many authors, update the paperback edition with a new chapter, particularly considering how much has happened in the last year.

In that time, his relationships with his family has continued to break down, the King has been diagnosed with cancer – which saw Harry make a transatlantic dash to London to see his father for barely 30 minutes – and his children, Archie and Lilibet, have become Prince and Princess.

Unfortunately, however, the Spare October release will clash with King Charles’ high-profile appearance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa, the first time he has attended since acceding the throne and becoming head of the global organisation

The re-issue of Spare will also re-ignite bombshell claims made by the prince against his estranged family including allegations that Prince William broke his necklace and shoved him onto a dog bowl which smashed during a particularly explosive row

The fact that Harry has chosen not to add to the revelations may be seen by some as an attempt to try and smooth over family ructions.

Spare, which was first published on January 10 last year, became an instant publishing sensation and sold more than six million copies, in both print and audio, across the world.

It holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest selling nonfiction book of all time, not least because Harry became the most high profile family member to ever ‘kiss and tell’ on the monarchy.

However while the book, ghostwritten by journalist J.R. Moehringer, was a financial success for the prince, his reputation is widely considered to have suffered as a result.

Many considered both the book and Harry’s round of equally vitriolic media appearances to publicise it a betrayal too far and criticised his version of events.

It generally takes between six months to a year for a paperback edition to come out after the initial publication in hardback.

They can be produced and sold more cheaply, and are designed to attract more readers.

Whether Spare will do this considering its runaway success as a hardback remains be seen.