Several of Prince Harry’s claims, primarily from his memoir Spare and media interviews, have faced public contradiction by royal experts, and sources over the years since the book’s release in January 2023.
Prince Harry wrote a critical account of his life as the younger brother of the heir to the throne in his memoir. It covers his struggles with grief, the press, mental health, military service, and his decision to step back from royal duties.
Ghostwritten by J.R. Moehringer, the 416-page book became the UK’s fastest-selling non-fiction book ever, selling over 467,000 copies in its first week.
Since its release three years ago, and the interviews that followed, several of Harry’s claims have been debunked. Express.co.uk explores the fact from the fiction…
6. Prince William had a physical altercation with Harry
Palace insiders have finally spoken out against Prince Harry’s claim Prince William assaulted him in a heated row about Meghan Markle. An insider has revealed that the detailed account was a “cheap shot” in the book ‘William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story”.
Sources close to the Prince of Wales say Harry’s account of the altercation, which allegedly saw William confront his younger brother over his wife Meghan’s behaviour towards palace staff, was “massively overblown”.
In his memoir, the Duke of Sussex claimed that during the incident at Harry’s former home of Nottingham Cottage in Kensington Palace, William grabbed him by the collar, knocked him to the floor.
(Image: WPA POOL)5. The Queen approved the name Lilibet
Reports regarding whether Queen Elizabeth II was supportive of Prince Harry and Meghan naming their daughter Lilibet in 2021 are contradictory.
While the Sussexes stated they would not have used the deeply personal, intimate nickname without her support, later accounts from royal biographers claimed the late Queen was furious.
The source disputed reports in the wake of the announcement of the name that Prince Harry and Meghan had spoken to the Queen before the birth.
But a Sussexes’ spokesperson insisted they would not have used the name had the Queen not been supportive. Lilibet has been the Queen’s nickname among family since her childhood.
(Image: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)4. Harry and Meghan had a ‘secret wedding’
Meghan Markle told Oprah Winfrey that she and Prince Harry had a secret, private exchange of vows in their “backyard” with the Archbishop of Canterbury three days before their public wedding in May 2018.
However, the Archbishop later clarified that the legal wedding was on that date, and the earlier ceremony was not a legal marriage.
Meghan told Oprah: “‘Three days before our wedding, we got married. No one knows that. We called the Archbishop and we just said, look, this thing, this spectacle is for the world. But we want our union between us..”
(Image: WPA POOL)3. Archie was denied his birthright of the title of prince
The Duchess of Sussex suggested her son Archie was denied his birthright of the title of prince by the palace and that the decision went against protocol.
She was clearly upset at the “idea of the first member of colour in this family not being titled in the same way that other grandchildren would be”.
Under protocols established by George V in letters patent more than 100 years ago in 1917, the children and grandchildren of a sovereign have the automatic right to the title HRH and prince or princess.
At the time Archie was born, he was the great-grandchild of a sovereign, not a grandchild.
George V’s declaration sets out: “The grandchildren of the sons of any such sovereign in the direct male line (save only the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales) shall have and enjoy in all occasions the style and title enjoyed by the children of dukes of this realm.”
Meaning, Archie would have been entitled to the titles when Charles accended the throne.
(Image: WPA POOL)2. Prince Harry’s confusion of his family history
Another detail from the book that has been flagged as inaccurate is Harry referring to Henry VI as “my great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather”.
The monarch had only one son, Edward of Westminster, who died without issue during the Battle of Tewkesbury.
As well as this, Harry’s six-times great-grandfather would have actually been King George III, the grandfather of Queen Victoria, who died in 1820.
(Image: GETTY)