‘Spare’ Lashes Out at Kate Middleton, Source Alleges

An insider familiar with the book says the Princess of Wales “gets a bit of a broadside.”

Kate Middleton
(Image credit: Getty)

Though at one point the two were so close, a source with knowledge of Prince Harry’s forthcoming memoir, Spare, says the Princess of Wales will come under fire in her brother-in-law’s book, due out January 10. The source says Kate will “get a bit of a broadside,” according to The Sunday Times, which will no doubt add to the hurt and betrayal Marie Claire reported she felt after the release of Harry and wife Meghan Markle’s Netflix docuseries last month.

Though it’s unclear what exactly Kate will be criticized for, The Sunday Times source says that Harry conversely puts Meghan on a pedestal: “The overall impression is that this is a man who has never recovered from the trauma of his mother dying so young, and then along comes Meghan, and he projects onto her a parallel with Diana,” the source says.

Speaking of the Duchess of Sussex, Marie Claire reported recently that she may be considering writing a tell-all of her own in the near future. (Spare, reports The Independent, is apparently part of a $20 million four-book deal between Harry and Meghan and publisher Penguin Random House. The Bench, Meghan’s children’s book, was also put out by the same publisher in 2021.)

The Sun reports a source, speaking to OK, says Meghan “is contemplating getting entirely candid about her time in the royal limelight, considering crafting a memoir of her own.” The source adds “she fully intends to write this book and leave no stone unturned.”

Harry and Meghan, according to The Daily Mail, are working on a wellness book that will likely precede “the mystery fourth book” in the four-book publishing deal, which will likely be Meghan’s memoir.

“I would find it surprising if Meghan didn’t publish her own story, to be honest,” a Hollywood agent tells the outlet. “Spare is clearly Prince Harry’s chance to tell his, but hers is equally compelling. I mean, how many actresses end up marrying a Prince?” 

Rachel Burchfield
Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.