The moment that King Charles III has dreaded for months is finally coming. Prince Harry’s tell-all memoir has a release date.
It is not totally official, but it is pretty close. The book will be out on January 10.
The memoir was initially set to be published in the fall of 2022, but the death of Queen Elizabeth II has changed everything. Out of respect for her incredible legacy, the release date was pushed back.
Another reason that kept things in flux was the publication of former first lady Michelle Obama‘s second memoir, The Light We Carry, on November 15.
Many in the industry expect for Mrs. Obama to dominate the game once more after smashing all records with Becoming. Some observers say that The Duke of Sussex was not ready to take on the powerhouse directly in a fight for big numbers that he possibly could not win.
The tentative release date represents a form of compromise. It gives Obama enough time to shine, and the prince will be able to have the lane all to himself after that.
After the passing of his grandmother, Meghan Markle‘s husband tried to make some changes to the book. He reportedly wanted a more nuanced tone that would not affect the other royals like his father, brother Prince William, sister-in-law Kate Middleton, and stepmother Camilla, Queen Consort.
A source explained: “Harry has thrown a spanner in the works. He is keen for refinements in the light of the Queen’s death, her funeral, and his father Charles taking the throne. There may be things in the book which might not look so good if they come out so soon after these events. He wants sections changed now. It’s not a total rewrite by any means. He desperately wants to make changes. But it might be too late.”
Matt Latimer, a renowned literary agent, spoke to the New York Times about the delicate balancing act that the activist is facing.
He stated: “Is his goal to enhance his celebrity with a certain sector of the public, or is it to repair the rift with his family? Those are competing goals to some extent, and it’s hard to do both.”
The Royal Family is tired of waiting and just wants to move on. King Charles and those close to him are feeling a sigh of relief. A palace insider has shared: “The first announcement was something of a shock. We have now spent a long time waiting to see what is in it, and, frankly, we just want to get it out of the way so everyone can move on.”
While a surprise is still possible, many observers now say that Prince Harry is unlikely to go after his family in a negative way. It is expected that he will talk about his pain in a unifying fashion.
Insiders say that the vicious approach of the Oprah Winfrey interview is now a thing of the past. The renegade royal wants to use his pain to connect with other humans.
The release of the book means there is no going back for the couple. Even their own website no longer mentions their ties to the Royal Family. However, they still use the honorific titles.
Royal expert Tina Brown recently stated: “They are now in this bind, where they’ve taken all this money, and Harry has made this book deal where he’s supposed to spill everything about his horrible life as a royal, but now he’s actually tortured about it because he understands there is no way back if he does it. If the book continues, I don’t think there is any way for Harry to return. So my view has always been that the book won’t see the light of day.”
Is a more docile Prince Harry enough to make peace between the two sides a reality? This is unlikely. The new King is not too interested.
King Charles just wants to protect the monarchy, and anything else is secondary.
