Prince Harry's memoir sheds light on bust-ups among British royals - Reuters

LONDON/MADRID, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Britain's Prince Harry says his older member and heir to the throne Prince William knocked him to the level during a 2019 statement implicit Harry's American woman Meghan successful his much-awaited memoir which went connected merchantability days aboriginal successful Spain connected Thursday.

In his publication "Spare", Harry besides discloses however the brothers, the sons of King Charles, had begged their begetter not to wed his 2nd woman Camilla, present Queen Consort, and that helium had taken cocaine arsenic a teenager.

The publication was owed to beryllium published connected Jan. 10, but the Guardian paper printed leaked extracts overnight, and Reuters and different media person been capable to get Spanish-language versions which went connected merchantability aboriginal successful Spain.

Details of its contents besides travel arsenic ITV released a clip of an upcoming interrogation with Harry successful which helium said helium could not commit to attending his father's coronation successful May and defended his determination to talk out.

Harry's memoir gives a idiosyncratic relationship of his struggles dealing with the decease of his parent Princess Diana, his clip successful the subject - erstwhile helium said helium killed 25 Taliban insurgents portion serving successful Afghanistan - and his conflicts with the press.

But the astir striking revelations interest the narration with his family, thing which has hung similar a shadiness implicit the British royals since helium and Meghan stepped down from authoritative duties successful 2020 to determination to California to forge a caller life.

As is accustomed for the royal family, spokespeople for King Charles and Prince William person declined to comment.

Harry, 38, wrote successful his memoir that his brawl with William, 40, took spot successful 2019 astatine his past London location aft his member had called Meghan "difficult", "rude" and "abrasive".

"He grabbed maine by the collar, ripping my necklace, and helium knocked maine to the floor," Harry wrote.

"I landed connected the dog's bowl, which cracked nether my back, the pieces cutting into me. I laic determination for a moment, dazed, past got to my feet and told him to get out."

William past challenged his younger member to deed backmost but Harry refused. William aboriginal returned to the scene, "looking regretful, and apologised", Harry wrote, with his member asking him not to archer Meghan that helium had "attacked" him.

William and Harry were erstwhile seen arsenic precise adjacent aft the decease of their parent successful a Paris car clang successful 1997. But the brothers person fallen retired since Harry joined Meghan, a erstwhile actress, successful 2018 and the mates past discontinue their royal role.

In different conception of the book, Harry refers to his archetypal gathering with Camilla, whom Diana had blamed for the break-up of her marriage. Harry says helium and William had approved of Camilla but asked their begetter not to wed her.

"Despite the information that Willy and I asked him not to bash it, my begetter went ahead," Harry wrote. "Despite the bitterness and sadness we felt successful closing different loop successful the past of our mother, we understood this was irrelevant."

STINGING CRITICISM

Since their exit from royal life, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, arsenic Harry and Meghan are officially known, person delivered stinging disapproval of the Windsors and the British monarchy which has included accusations of racism which William himself has dismissed.

Last period their six-part Netflix documentary, which attracted grounds audiences, aired with renewed accusations including that William had screamed astatine Harry during a situation acme to sermon his future.

The main disapproval from Harry and Meghan is that royal aides not lone refused to deed backmost astatine hostile, inaccurate property sum but were complicit successful leaking antagonistic stories to support different royals, astir notably William.

"I don't cognize however staying soundless is ever going to marque things better," Harry said successful Thursday's ITV clip.

Asked wherefore helium was invading the privateness of his family, thing helium had railed against, helium replied: "That volition beryllium the accusation from the radical that don't recognize oregon don't privation to judge that my household person been briefing the press."

The rubric of his publication "Spare" comes from an oft-cited punctuation successful British aristocratic circles astir the request for an heir, and a spare.

Harry says Charles reputedly said to Diana connected the time helium was born: "Wonderful! Now you've fixed maine an heir and a spare – my enactment is done."

How overmuch the disclosures volition resonate with the nationalist is unclear. A YouGov canvass this week recovered 65% of those surveyed were "not funny astatine all" successful his upcoming book, portion different recovered greater sympathy among respondents for William and his woman Kate than for Harry and Meghan.

Charles himself is inactive hoping for a reconciliation with his son, unnamed sources told newspapers this week.

In its leaked extracts, the Guardian says the king had stood betwixt his 2 sons during a hard gathering astatine Windsor Castle pursuing the April 2021 ceremonial for their gramps Prince Philip, the precocious Queen Elizabeth's husband.

"Please, boys," Harry quoted his begetter arsenic saying. "Don’t marque my last years a misery."

Additional reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Nick Macfie

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