U.K. readers buy 400K copies of Prince Harry’s new book, ‘Spare’
LONDON — After weeks of hype and days of leaks, read- ers got a chance to judge Prince Harry’s book for themselves when it went on sale around the world Tuesday.
The book’s publisher said “Spare” sold 400,000 cop- ies in the U.K. in all formats — hardback, e-book and audio — on its first day.
“As far as we know, the only books to have sold more in their first day are those starring the other Harry (Potter),” said Larry Finlay, managing director of Transworld Penguin Ran- dom House.
A few stores in Britain opened at midnight to sell copies to diehard royal devotees and the curious.
“I’m excited just to hear about Prince Harry’s life from Prince Harry,” said Sarah Nakana, a surveyor who bought the book at London’s Victoria station. “There’s so much misinformation, disinformation about Harry and Meghan.”
The book’s revelations have already been splashed across the media. In the gho s twritten mem o ir, Harry, 38, recounts his grief at the death of his mother, Princess Diana, his disputes with brother Prince William and frustration with the role of royal “spare” in the shadow of his elder sibling, who is heir to the British throne.
He lacerates the U.K.’s tabloid press for coverage he considers prurient, intrusive and sometimes plain wrong, claims his relatives were unwelcoming to his wife Meghan, and accuses members of the royal family, including his stepmother Camilla, of leaking stories to the media to burnish their own reputations.
Buckingham Palace has not commented on any of the allegations, though royal allies have pushed back, mostly anonymously.