Prince Harry’s tell-all memoir will ‘never see the light of day’, claims former Vanity Fair editor

There will be ‘no way back’ for Prince Harry if he publishes his tell-all memoir, the former editor of Tatler and Vanity Fair has warned.

Royal biographer Tina Brown, author of The Diana Chronicles and The Palace Papers, does not think the contentious biography will ever ‘see the light of day’, according to The Daily Telegraph.

‘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,’ she said. 

‘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.’

The journalist, who was one of the last people to see the Princess of Wales alive in the summer of 1997, said she thinks Diana would have advised her son to find a way back into the family.

The memoir had been signed off ready for an expected autumn release, but the Duke of Sussex – who is writing the book as part of a near £40million three-title deal – allegedly asked to make some significant alterations.

Prince Harry (pictured with Meghan in Dusseldorf last month) is expected to release his tell-all memoir in the autumn but the former editor of Tatler and Vanity Fair has warned there would be ‘no way back’ for him if he publishes it

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‘Harry has thrown a spanner in the works,’ a source said. ‘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.’

Best-selling author Jeffrey Archer said that the prince is currently writing a new chapter that will be all about his grandmother’s death and the events leading up to her funeral. 

Publishers Penguin Random House had already demanded a rewrite after the first draft was deemed ‘too touchy-feely’ and placed too much focus on mental health issues, The Mail on Sunday revealed last month.

No date has officially been announced for its release but American sources have suggested that publishers will want it in shops in time for Thanksgiving on November 24, ready for the lucrative Christmas market.

In a statement announcing the global publishing deal, Penguin Random House described it as ‘an intimate and heartfelt memoir’, promising that ‘Prince Harry will offer an honest and captivating personal portrait’. 

Royal biographer Tina Brown, author of The Diana Chronicles and The Palace Papers, does not think the contentious biography will ever ‘see the light of day’

But palace aides have reportedly been discussing ways to stop Harry from publishing the book altogether due to concerns that it will contain damaging revelations.  

A friend of the King said: ‘The question inside the Palace is: “Can the book be stopped?” It may be that even Harry can’t stop it at this stage but the feeling at the very top is that there’s no good that can come of airing grievances in public.’ 

Lawyers to the Royal Family at the firm Harbottle and Lewis are expected to be on standby to read the book when it comes out. 

And despite claims that Harry and Meghan are planning a year-long thaw in relations with the rest of the family, their hotly-awaited Netflix series might throw another spanner in the works.

Prince Harry is reportedly scrambling to re-write the memoir and tone down his and Meghan’s Netflix series in light of the Queen’s death and his father Charles becoming King. Pictured: Charles, Camilla, Harry and Meghan at the state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II

Harry, 38, and the Duchess of Sussex, 41, who now live in their $14million Montecito mansion with their two children, Archie, three, and one-year-old Lilibet, are working on a documentary as part of their $100million deal with the streaming service. 

It was previously expected that the production would be available to watch in December, following the fifth season of The Crown on November 9, according to Page Six.

However, sources claimed last week the couple now wanted to make edits to the series, which would possibly delay its release until later in 2023, as they look to ‘downplay much of what they have said about King Charles III, Queen Consort Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales’.

And now insiders have told the publication that the couple are ‘having second thoughts’ on the project, with one Netflix source saying: ‘Harry and Meghan are panicked about trying to tone down even the most basic language. But it’s their story, from their own mouths.’

Tina Brown also also discussed rumours that the duchess is shopping for a ‘private estate’ in Hope Ranch, an affluent neighbourhood a few miles from their $14million California mansion where they live with their two children, Archie, three, and one-year-old Lilibet (pictured with the couple)

Another said: ‘They’ve made significant requests to walk back content they themselves have provided — to the extent that some Netflix staff believe, if granted, it will effectively shelve the project indefinitely.’

As well as warning Harry about the risks of publishing his long-awaited autobiography, Tina Brown also discussed rumours that the duchess is shopping for a ‘private estate’ in Hope Ranch, an affluent neighbourhood a few miles from their current home in California.

Speaking at the Henley Literary Festival Miss Brown said: ‘In Montecito, where they live, their $14million mansion is a humble cottage compared to what these other people have.’

She also joked: ‘At some point it might be more than a new house she’s looking for. Elon Musk is still single, that’s all I have to say.’

Archewell has been contacted by the MailOnline for comment.