Topline
Prince Harry accused the British royal family of casting he and his wife Meghan Markle as “villains” after the release of their controversial Netflix documentary last month, saying his family has shown no interest in repairing their relationship, a week ahead of the publication of Harry’s memoir Spare, which is generating controversy of its own.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave after a service of thanksgiving for … [+]
Key Facts
Clips from an interview with British journalist Tom Bradbury for ITV released Monday show Harry discussing his strained relationship with his father King Charles III and his older brother Prince William, saying he wants those relationships back.
However, Harry said senior members of the royal family are content to portray him and Markle—known as the duke and duchess of Sussex—as “the villains” instead of working to restore their relationship, saying the family as a whole “has shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile.”
“I want a family, not an institution,” Harry told Bradbury, who is a longtime acquaintance of both Harry and William, having known the brothers since they were in their twenties.
In a separate interview for U.S. television, Harry spoke to American journalist Anderson Cooper for 60 Minutes, and defended himself and his wife Meghan against accusations that the couple are airing out his family’s dirty laundry.
Harry said that while he tried to address their concerns with the royal family privately, “there have been briefings and leakages and planting of stories against me and my wife” by palace insiders in the British press, he said.
While the palace would speak up on behalf of other members of the royal family against media reports, it refused to do the same for he and Meghan, Harry told 60 Minutes, adding that “at a certain point, silence is betrayal.”
What To Watch For
The 90-minute interview between Harry and Bradbury will air on ITV in the U.K. on Sunday, just two days before Spare is released Tuesday of next week. Harry’s interview with Cooper on 60 Minutes will also air Sunday.
Key Background
Penguin Random House announced in July it would publish Harry’s memoir, saying the book will “offer an honest and captivating personal portrait” of the high-profile prince. The title, Spare, is a nod to the phrase “heir and a spare,” referring to the practice of royal families having at least two children to ensure the continuation of the family line if the eldest child were to die. The memoir, along with the other media projects taken on by the Sussexes since leaving the U.K. in early 2020, have reportedly sparked tension between the couple and Harry’s family. Harry & Meghan, the couple’s Netflix docuseries that began streaming last month, was the biggest documentary premiere in the history of the platform. Harry and Meghan have previously said racism played a large role in why they stepped down as senior working members of the family, and said that the palace did not offer Meghan enough mental health support during her time in the U.K.
Further Reading
Prince Harry Defends Netflix Doc And Media Appearances: ‘Silence Is Betrayal’ (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2023/01/03/i-want-a-family-not-an-institution-heres-what-prince-harry-is-saying-ahead-of-his-controversial-memoir-release/