Prince Harry accused the media of misrepresenting his account about killing 25 Taliban fighters while serving in Afghanistan by choosing to “strip away the context,” and claimed that the move endangered him and his family, in an interview with Late Show host Stephen Colbert that aired on Tuesday in which he expressed dismay about the media’s coverage of leaks from his controversial memoir Spare.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex walks behind Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin as it is transported on a gun … [+] carriage from Buckingham Palace to The Palace of Westminster ahead of her Lying-in-State.
Getty Images
Key Facts
Harry called the media’s coverage of the Taliban killing story “the most dangerous lie that they have told,” claiming that the reporting made it seem as if he was boasting about the number of people he killed in Afghanistan.
Harry added that if he heard anyone boasting about a thing like killing people on the battlefield “I’d be angry,” but claimed this representation of his words was a lie and he hoped people will be able to see the context now that the book is out.
Colbert, who has read that section of the book, said he felt it was a “very thoughtful description of what that knowledge is like to have” and later added that this wasn’t particularly new information as he mentioned a 10-year-old Reuters article reporting that Harry had killed insurgents in Afghanistan.
Harry agreed with Colbert and said his words were not dangerous “but the spin of my words are dangerous,” referring to the elevated threat he said he and his family now face because of the stories.
The Duke of Sussex also claimed that one of the reasons he writes about this in his memoir is that he wanted to be honest about his experience of serving in Afghanistan and hoped it would give other veterans space to do the same without shame.
Harry added that his whole goal in sharing that detail was to reduce the “number of suicides” among veterans, which drew applause from the audience.
News Peg
Various British tabloids published photographs and reported about Harry stepping up his personal security with the addition of armed guards. Photos published by the Daily Mail showed a security guard holding a pistol-carrying case while accompanying Harry to the Late Show taping in New York.
What To Watch For
Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace—the official households of King Charles III and Prince William, respectively—have yet to comment on the revelations made by Harry in his book, although the Duke of Sussex insists there has been an “active campaign” by members of the royal family to “undermine” his book. Harry and Meghan are no longer eligible for official taxpayer-funded security detail after stepping down from their roles as active-duty royals three years ago. However, the Duke of Sussex is currently involved in a legal battle with the British government after he was blocked from being accompanied by private armed guards in the U.K. It is unclear how any potential threats emerging from his Taliban comments will impact his case.
Crucial Quote
Harry also spoke about his frayed relationship with his brother during the interview and when Colbert asked how his mother Diana would have felt if she was alive he said: “We wouldn’t have got to this moment. It’s impossible to say where we would be now, where those relationships would be now, but there is no way that the distance between my brother and I would be the same.”
Key Background
Spare was officially released to the public on Tuesday and quickly became the U.K.’s fastest-selling nonfiction book ever. According to its publisher Penguin Random House, the memoir sold 400,000 copies across physical, e-book and audio formats on the first day of its release in the U.K. While U.S. numbers remain unknown, the book is currently on top of Amazon’s list of best-selling books. Several excerpts from the autobiography leaked last week after Spanish-language copies of the book briefly went on sale early before being pulled. Harry has made several explosive revelations about the British royal family in his book including being allegedly attacked by his older brother William following an argument about his wife Meghan. The Duke of Sussex has also accused other members of the royal family, including the Queen Consort Camilla, of leaking private details to the British press. The book’s release comes just weeks after Netflix released a six-part documentary series called Harry & Meghan where the royal couple opened up about the anguish and pain they felt due to the British press’ negative portrayal of them—especially Meghan. Harry has appeared in multiple interviews this week to promote his book, including CBS News’ 60 Minutes which garnered 11.2 million viewers.
Harry Accuses Press Of Misrepresenting His Comments About Killing 25 Taliban Fighters
Topline
Prince Harry accused the media of misrepresenting his account about killing 25 Taliban fighters while serving in Afghanistan by choosing to “strip away the context,” and claimed that the move endangered him and his family, in an interview with Late Show host Stephen Colbert that aired on Tuesday in which he expressed dismay about the media’s coverage of leaks from his controversial memoir Spare.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex walks behind Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin as it is transported on a gun … [+] carriage from Buckingham Palace to The Palace of Westminster ahead of her Lying-in-State.
Key Facts
Harry called the media’s coverage of the Taliban killing story “the most dangerous lie that they have told,” claiming that the reporting made it seem as if he was boasting about the number of people he killed in Afghanistan.
Harry added that if he heard anyone boasting about a thing like killing people on the battlefield “I’d be angry,” but claimed this representation of his words was a lie and he hoped people will be able to see the context now that the book is out.
Colbert, who has read that section of the book, said he felt it was a “very thoughtful description of what that knowledge is like to have” and later added that this wasn’t particularly new information as he mentioned a 10-year-old Reuters article reporting that Harry had killed insurgents in Afghanistan.
Harry agreed with Colbert and said his words were not dangerous “but the spin of my words are dangerous,” referring to the elevated threat he said he and his family now face because of the stories.
The Duke of Sussex also claimed that one of the reasons he writes about this in his memoir is that he wanted to be honest about his experience of serving in Afghanistan and hoped it would give other veterans space to do the same without shame.
Harry added that his whole goal in sharing that detail was to reduce the “number of suicides” among veterans, which drew applause from the audience.
News Peg
Various British tabloids published photographs and reported about Harry stepping up his personal security with the addition of armed guards. Photos published by the Daily Mail showed a security guard holding a pistol-carrying case while accompanying Harry to the Late Show taping in New York.
What To Watch For
Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace—the official households of King Charles III and Prince William, respectively—have yet to comment on the revelations made by Harry in his book, although the Duke of Sussex insists there has been an “active campaign” by members of the royal family to “undermine” his book. Harry and Meghan are no longer eligible for official taxpayer-funded security detail after stepping down from their roles as active-duty royals three years ago. However, the Duke of Sussex is currently involved in a legal battle with the British government after he was blocked from being accompanied by private armed guards in the U.K. It is unclear how any potential threats emerging from his Taliban comments will impact his case.
Crucial Quote
Harry also spoke about his frayed relationship with his brother during the interview and when Colbert asked how his mother Diana would have felt if she was alive he said: “We wouldn’t have got to this moment. It’s impossible to say where we would be now, where those relationships would be now, but there is no way that the distance between my brother and I would be the same.”
Key Background
Spare was officially released to the public on Tuesday and quickly became the U.K.’s fastest-selling nonfiction book ever. According to its publisher Penguin Random House, the memoir sold 400,000 copies across physical, e-book and audio formats on the first day of its release in the U.K. While U.S. numbers remain unknown, the book is currently on top of Amazon’s list of best-selling books. Several excerpts from the autobiography leaked last week after Spanish-language copies of the book briefly went on sale early before being pulled. Harry has made several explosive revelations about the British royal family in his book including being allegedly attacked by his older brother William following an argument about his wife Meghan. The Duke of Sussex has also accused other members of the royal family, including the Queen Consort Camilla, of leaking private details to the British press. The book’s release comes just weeks after Netflix released a six-part documentary series called Harry & Meghan where the royal couple opened up about the anguish and pain they felt due to the British press’ negative portrayal of them—especially Meghan. Harry has appeared in multiple interviews this week to promote his book, including CBS News’ 60 Minutes which garnered 11.2 million viewers.
Further Reading
Prince Harry Says Princess Diana Would Be ‘Heartbroken’ By Her Sons’ Fractured Relationship (Forbes)
Prince Harry’s Memoir ‘Spare’ Sets U.K. Record For Fastest-Selling Nonfiction Book, Publisher Says (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/01/11/dangerous-lie-harry-accuses-press-of-misrepresenting-his-comments-about-killing-25-taliban-fighters/