Harry may spare royal feelings

SUPPORTERS of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan think commentators are quite wrong to conclude that the title of his forthcoming memoir — Spare — indicates that the book will be a score- settling Exocet aimed at the Royal Family.

Most people here believe that ‘spare’ is a reference to the phrase ‘an heir and a spare’; and that Prince Harry (pictured with brother William at the Queen’s funeral) will pour out feelings of rejection and isolation which will reflect badly on the rest of the royals.

The Spanish-language version is subtitled ‘En La Sombra’ meaning ‘ in the shadows’, which tends to suggest the same.

However, Team Sussex say that Spare will be all about what Meghan would call ‘compassion in action’.

Columnist Elaine Lui, a Canadian TV personality who has worked with Meghan’s friend Ben Mulroney and is also close to Meghan’s bestie, the Soho House executive Markus Anderson, says we should look at how the word spare is used as a verb. She said: ‘It is actually a really kind verb. It involves effort. When you spare time or money or thought for someone, you’re making an effort and more often than not it’s a helpful effort.’

She adds: ‘In some cases, to spare is also to save. You can spare someone the trouble of having to do something that isn’t pleasant, something potentially harmful. Spare and save are interchangeable in that context.

‘There can also be benevolence associated with sparing someone. “I didn’t want to ask her about that because I wanted to spare her feelings.”

‘And all of those ideas also apply to Prince Harry, given his personal evolution and the mission he and Meghan Markle have set for themselves and their work.’

We shall see, come January 10, who has the right end of the stick.