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A review by enchantingreads_rosyreviews
Spare by Prince Harry
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
I want to preface this by stressing I am not a “royal watcher,” meaning I have never been one to keep up with the British royals. Although, I do my best to keep up with the Kardashians, I had no desire to watch their speeches, track their appearances, or follow their lives. But when Harry and Meghan’s relationship went public, I took interest. A real-life American princess love story, just like The Prince & Me!
Not only was a British Prince dating an American, but she was mixed race. Though I myself am as white as they come, I can understand and appreciate Harry and Meghan’s ground-breaking relationship. There was a real opportunity to unite the Commonwealth, most of them being predominately black countries, and bring the ancient royal institution into the modern era. So I started paying attention. Many of the interviews they gave, the life milestone announcements, etc., I tried to keep tabs on them. It didn’t hurt that they were relaxed with one another, cracked jokes, and were a generally likeable couple.
Eventually, I saw their sparkle start to dim, especially Meg’s. It wasn’t until after reading Harry’s book and watching their Netflix docuseries, I realized the power and viciousness of the British tabloid press. They called Meg’s race, morality, intellect, and physical appearance into question. They essentially stripped Harry and Meghan’s relationship of everything that made it unique and good to replace it with false narratives vilifying Meghan, in particular.
Overall, Harry’s detailed account of his life is an important read for anyone interested in the life of a British royal, the burden of being a person in the public eye, what a life in dedication to service (both in the military and to the betterment of the world), and how it feels to fall in love with your person. Harry’s candor about the brutal and relentless obsession of the British tabloid press as well as the racial and xenophobic undertones of his and Meg’s relationship, is appreciated and fascinating to read. Regardless of how you feel about the royals, his story is one to root for and this new chapter of his life might prove to unveil the best version of Harry the world has ever seen.
Not only was a British Prince dating an American, but she was mixed race. Though I myself am as white as they come, I can understand and appreciate Harry and Meghan’s ground-breaking relationship. There was a real opportunity to unite the Commonwealth, most of them being predominately black countries, and bring the ancient royal institution into the modern era. So I started paying attention. Many of the interviews they gave, the life milestone announcements, etc., I tried to keep tabs on them. It didn’t hurt that they were relaxed with one another, cracked jokes, and were a generally likeable couple.
Eventually, I saw their sparkle start to dim, especially Meg’s. It wasn’t until after reading Harry’s book and watching their Netflix docuseries, I realized the power and viciousness of the British tabloid press. They called Meg’s race, morality, intellect, and physical appearance into question. They essentially stripped Harry and Meghan’s relationship of everything that made it unique and good to replace it with false narratives vilifying Meghan, in particular.
Overall, Harry’s detailed account of his life is an important read for anyone interested in the life of a British royal, the burden of being a person in the public eye, what a life in dedication to service (both in the military and to the betterment of the world), and how it feels to fall in love with your person. Harry’s candor about the brutal and relentless obsession of the British tabloid press as well as the racial and xenophobic undertones of his and Meg’s relationship, is appreciated and fascinating to read. Regardless of how you feel about the royals, his story is one to root for and this new chapter of his life might prove to unveil the best version of Harry the world has ever seen.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Stalking, Death of parent, and War