Prince Harry ‘will return to Britain to promote memoir Spare’ as Charles could strip him of titles

Prince Harry may travel to the UK to promote his controversial new memoir, Spare, which could see retaliation from the palace including stripping him and Meghan of their Sussex titles, royal experts say.

Last night reports claimed Harry may fly to Britain in the New Year to explain his ‘intent’ in writing the book – which is set to cast a shadow over the Royal Family‘s Christmas – the first since the Queen died.

Senior royals are said to be bracing themselves’ for the publication of the 416-page title on January 10. Biographer Tom Bower has warned the memoir’s reception will be a make or break moment for the Sussexes. 

Prince Harry may travel to the UK to promote his controversial new memoir, Spare 

Royal commentators said the release of Prince Harry’s book would be ‘unhelpful’ to King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort

Announcing the global publishing deal this year, Penguin Random House described the memoir as ‘intimate and heartfelt’

‘Put it this way, it’s not going to make for a relaxing family Christmas,’ a source told the Mail on Sunday. 

It has now been claimed that Prince Harry had to submit his book more than once before it was accepted by publishers, sparking fears that it was ‘sexed up’ with revelations about the Royal Family.

A source told The Sun: ‘The book has been back and forth between Harry and [ghost writer] JR Moehringer and the publishers a few times. They wanted more than was in the first draft, and then Harry wanted to refine things after the Queen passed away.

‘But there has been extra toing and froing that people don’t know about. This is because the publishers wanted more areas covered and more detail on some things that were already included.

‘There is a real concern that that means Harry has had to sex up the book and include revelations that even he might not even be that comfortable with.’

It is now reportedly feared that Harry will expand upon a claim made to Oprah Winfrey that a family member questioned what the skin colour of his and Meghan’s son Archie would be.

Publishers Penguin Random House say the book is written with ‘raw unflinching honesty’ and is expected to contain explosive new material addressing Harry’s childhood and his rift with ‘The Firm’ after meeting Meghan.

A source added: ‘The book is much worse than people think.’ 

Bower told The Sun: ‘This book is really make or break. I imagine that King Charles has been warned that any retaliation won’t be pretty.

‘All that King Charles can really do is to withhold the titles for his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet. Ultimately, I suppose, he could take away Harry and Meghan’s titles as well, but that’s pretty drastic.

‘I don’t know what else he can do. If it is as bad as I think it is, then Harry and Meghan have gone fully rogue.’

He added that the best thing the royal family could do in this scenario would be to ‘break ties’ with the pair. 

The title is presumed to refer to Harry being the ‘spare’ to Prince William’s ‘heir’ but has been translated to sound more ominous in other languages. 

In Spain it will be called In The Shadow, in Sweden The Other, and in Denmark, The Reservist.

Harry will narrate the audio version himself, but voice artist Emily Woo Zeller warned: ‘To take words off a page and make them sound like dialogue is a skill. I don’t know if Harry has that skill.’

Another source close to Prince Harry told the Telegraph last night that the Duke of Sussex wrote his controversial memoir for himself, rather than being a ‘takedown of his family’.

It was described by those familiar with the manuscript as a ‘beautiful read’, that readers from all walks of life will identify with.

The experience of addressing his past struggles is said to have been cathartic for Prince Harry.

The source said: ‘You can’t always live your life trying to make your family or your siblings happy.

‘You have to choose your own happiness.’

It comes after it was reported on Friday night that Prince Harry will not return to the UK to spend the first Christmas since Queen Elizabeth II died with his family amid the controversy.

Sources close to the couple told The Mirror relations between Harry and wife Meghan and the rest of the royal family are ‘near rock bottom’ and they could decline an invitation to spend the festive period with Harry’s family.

It had been hoped that relations would thaw somewhat after the Queen’s death, but sources told The Mirror that the couple have ‘no plans’ to travel to the UK for Christmas.

The rest of the royal family were reportedly surprised at the memoir’s title. 

Another source told The Mirror the book could spell ‘the end’ for any reconciliation efforts between the Sussexes and the royals: ‘This book could spell the end for any relationship Harry wants to have with his family, it’s desperately sad.’

An initial release date had been pencilled in for ‘late 2022’ to capitalise on the lucrative Christmas market, but the book will not be on the shelves until January 10 – said to be as a mark of respect following the death of the Queen, and, it is rumoured, due to last-minute alterations requested by the duke. 

A spokesman for the King declined to comment on the book. But it is understood that the Royal Household has already been warned that the 416-page, £28 book is ‘critical of everyone and everything’ and they are ‘dreading’ it.

The memoir has already topped Amazon charts in the UK and US, as well as reaching the second spot in Canada, despite publication still being several months away.