EXCLUSIVE: Real Reason Prince Harry Blew Up His Relationship With Royal Family By Writing His Memoir 'Spare' Revealed — As He 'Gets Set to Beg for Comeback to The Firm'
Prince Harry recently touched on his popular memoir, 'Spare.'
June 5 2026, Published 9:00 a.m. ET
Prince Harry insisted he wrote his explosive memoir Spare not to attack the royal family but to correct what he believes were years of false narratives about his life – in a stance continuing to define his fractured relationship with the monarchy as speculation grows about a possible future reconciliation.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Duke of Sussex, 41, made the remarks during a wide-ranging interview after returning to California following a visit to the United Kingdom and Ukraine.
'Spare Was Not Written as an Act of Retaliation Against His Family'
Prince Harry insisted he wrote his explosive memoir to correct the record.
The trip included a 54-minute meeting with his father, King Charles, 77, at Clarence House – the first time the pair had seen each other in 19 months.
Their meeting came as Charles continues treatment following his cancer diagnosis, announced in February 2024.
Harry's comments have resurfaced as they are reigniting debate over whether Spare, published in 2023, was an act of reconciliation through honesty or the moment he irreparably damaged ties with the institution he left behind.
A palace source told us: "Harry's view has always been that Spare was not written as an act of retaliation against his family, despite how it was interpreted by many people. He genuinely believed he was setting the record straight after years of seeing his life, motivations, and relationships filtered through the perspectives of others. In his mind, some stories had become accepted as fact, which he felt needed to be challenged.
"From Harry's perspective, the memoir was about regaining ownership of his own narrative. He felt he had spent much of his adult life being spoken about rather than listened to, and the book allowed him to explain his experiences in his own words, whether people agreed with them or not."
The Duke rejected public suggestions of deliberately airing dirty laundry.
"The difficulty was that while Harry regarded the project as an honest account of his life and a necessary exercise in telling his truth, many members of the Royal Family viewed it through an entirely different lens. They saw deeply personal conversations, private family tensions, and sensitive moments being brought into the public domain," the insider noted.
"What Harry considered transparency, others interpreted as a breach of trust. That difference in perspective is a major reason why the fallout was so severe and why the wounds remain difficult to heal."
Harry also defended the memoir and the decision to publicly discuss family tensions. He said, "I know that (speaking out) annoys some people, and it goes against the narrative. The book? It was a series of corrections to stories already out there. One point of view had been put out, and it needed to be corrected."
The Duke rejected suggestions he had deliberately exposed private family matters, insisting, "I don't believe that I aired my dirty laundry in public. It was a difficult message, but I did it in the best way possible. My conscience is clear."
The Rift That Still Won't Heal
Countless public misconceptions have frustrated the Prince for several years, sources claimed.
Another source said: "People who know Harry well insist that Spare was never conceived as a score-settling exercise. The driving force behind it was a growing frustration that his life and decisions had been interpreted through the views of other people for so long, often without any meaningful challenge or correction from him.
"He felt there were countless misconceptions about his role within the Royal Family, his relationship with his relatives, and the reasons behind his departure from royal duties that had gradually hardened into accepted truths. From his perspective, those narratives had been repeated so often that they became part of the public understanding of who he was, regardless of whether he believed they were accurate."
The insider added, "Harry reached a point where he felt staying silent was no longer sustainable. He understood that speaking publicly would almost certainly deepen tensions and provoke criticism, but he also believed there was a personal price to remaining quiet and allowing versions of events he disagreed with to go unchallenged. In his mind, the consequences of speaking out were significant, but the consequences of saying nothing had become even greater."
Could Prince Harry Return to Royal Life?
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
The Prince discussed family dynamics in terms of healing old wounds.
Sources said Harry is now on the verge of "begging" for a comeback to the royal family as his and his wife Meghan Markle's business efforts in the US have now "hit the rocks."
A royal insider said: "For all the bitterness, hurt feelings and public fallout that have defined the last few years, Harry now longs for some form of reconciliation. He may have chosen a different path, but that does not mean he has stopped caring about the family and country he came from.
"Those who know him say there is a crucial difference between wanting distance and wanting permanent separation from his family. Harry continues to talk about family relationships in terms of healing old wounds rather than closing the chapter altogether."
