“60 Minutes,” aired on CBS on Sunday, Prince Harry spoke openly with Anderson Cooper. The British version of the same was released on ITV last night as well. Both interviews dealt with excerpts from his upcoming book. Harry’s memoir “Spare,” which delves into his life before and after he and his wife, Duchess Meghan, stepped down from their positions as senior members of the royal family, hits shelves on January 10. The interview gave readers a sneak peek at the “characteristic bluntness” of Harry’s book.
Harry spoke openly with Cooper about his interactions with royals, including the Queen Consort – his father’s wife, as well as the years-long pain of losing his mother, Princess Diana, when he was just12 years old.
Have a sneak peak at the interview below.
1. Prince Harry Didn’t Believe That Diana Was Dead
Harry elaborated on his feelings following the death of his mother in a well-known vehicle crash in 1997.
“I simply refused to comprehend that she was gone for a very long time. She would never do this to us, but maybe it’s all part of a bigger plan”
Prince Harry
For “a long time,” he told CBS, he didn’t think Diana had passed away. He also expressed his persistent conviction that the paparazzi’s contribution to the disaster hasn’t been completely acknowledged. He claimed that “everyone got away with it.” Harry went on to say that although he cried once at the funeral. he couldn’t bring himself to cry again. He even makes himself watch video clips of his mother in order to feel the pain, but the tears refuse to come.
He also mentioned that he seemed to suffer from a memory loss of life events before his mother dies, and assumed many trauma victims undergo the same experience.
Harry disclosed that when in Paris (and older), he had requested to be driven through the tunnel in which his mother died, at the same speed as her car was going in order to feel what it was like. he later found out his brother had requested the same thing.
2. He Used Psychedelic Drugs To Cope With The Trauma Of His Mother’s Death
The Duke of Sussex went into detail about the healing process of grieving his mother’s death. Apart from seeking therapy, Harry said he’s also pursued experimental medicinal treatments, such as using the psychedelics Ayahuasca and psilocybin.
Harry mentioned that using these substances helped him understand how he personally dealt with grief.
“They debunked the notion I had in my head that I needed to cry in order to show my mother how much I missed her.
When in reality, all she wished for was my happiness.”
Harry also disclosed using cocaine at the age of 17 and insisted that it is a truth that must be heard, despite it carrying shock value for many.
3. Harry Begged Charles Not To Marry Camilla
Harry revealed that he and Prince William begged Charles not to marry Camilla. According to him, it wasn’t necessary for Charles to marry Camilla, he could continue his relationship with her without tying the knot.
“We thought that it was going to cause more harm than good and that if he was now with this person, that surely that’s enough. Why go that far when you don’t necessarily need to?”
In addition, he claimed that her connections with the tabloids made her “dangerous” due to her need to repair her reputation as a “villain” in the British press.
“And there was a genuine desire to exchange information on all sides. There would be individuals or bodies left on the street as a result of her coming from a family that was built on hierarchy and her ascent to the position of Queen consort.”
He claimed that he had to pay for Camila’s attempt to rehabilitate her image within the royal family.
4. Prince Harry’s Intention With His Memoir
Despite the candour of his new memoir, which includes a portrayal of his brother Prince William, Harry told Cooper that “Spare” is his attempt to clear up any misunderstandings regarding the conflicts in his family.
“Nothing I’ve written or included has ever been done with the intention of hurting my family. However, it provides a complete picture of the circumstances during our formative years and dispels the myth that my wife was somehow responsible for the breakdown of the brotherly bond.”
Harry responded to accusations that he had become overly “public” since stepping down from his royal duties by asserting that the royal family’s interactions with the media had prevented him from maintaining his privacy.
“Every time I’ve tried to do it secretly, there have been briefings, leaks, and rumors planted against me and my wife.”
“Never complain, never explain” is the family motto, yet it’s only a motto. Harry claims that stories have been planted by various sources about him and his family already, so him coming out with them now is not the first time they have been revealed – just that there are different versions of it.
5. Twitter Stands Divided On Prince Harry
The reaction to the interview, docuseries and subsequent Harry Memoirs are divided and viral, with some siding the estranged couple and others calling out their resort to going public as hypocritical.
Here’s a collection of reactions as both camps fight it out between themselves.
“The irony is Meghan and Harry ostracised Thomas Markle for giving press interviews about their family. They are doing the exact same as him but expect different treatment”
“This is a shocking watch. I get you are angry Harry but you have gone way too far. You’re saying you aren’t trying to harm your family but you certainly are – big time. I don’t get the end game here. Why on earth would they ever want to speak to you again?”
“I’m a journalist and even I can understand why Harry doesn’t like the press. Imagine your mum had been killed and someone was taking photos of her body. He deserves the right to take control of his own narrative”
“There have been 30 negative stories about Harry and Meghan in the Daily Mail alone in the last 24 hours. But people moan when he fights back”
“If you watched the interview with Tom Bradby and you STILL think Prince Harry “trashes” the royal family – you are officially stupid. Because the grace he’s showing to them is unbelievable. He still sees their human side. They don’t deserve it though.”
“Probably an unpopular opinion but for decades Camilla has faced an onslaught of abuse and not once has she publicly complained. She’s relentlessly and admirably put duty to The Crown, Elizabeth II and Charles before everything. Prince Harry knows she’s an easy target.”
“My God. Prince Harry is now lecturing Charles and William on keeping their private conversations private. He literally leaked the words of the King in the moments after he buried his own father Prince Philip to sell his awful book. This is delusion to a disturbing degree.”
“This Prince Harry interview on 60 minutes is powerful. You can still hear the grief in his voice from losing his mother. He was in denial that she *actually* died until his 20s. Says he thought maybe it was a plan and they’d reunite at some point. That’s deep pain.”
Confident, focused and at ease. As much as certain commentators want to paint Prince Harry out as lost and unhappy, it was clear in both of tonight’s interviews that the man is in a good place. Brilliant analysis on the toxic relationship between the press and Royal Family, too
Harry might be getting a lot of slack for revealing too much, or, as some would say, “washing his dirty laundry in public” but he has repeatedly mentioned that repeated attempts to talk to his family have been met with a brick wall. Much has been written about the issue and as people stand divided on the debate – pro royals and pro Harry and Meghan camps will always view the debate from their own perspectives.
It is ironic though that the same British tabloids accused by Prince Harry for bullying his family are now making a winning from the revelations by him. Every front page will be reporting and reposting stories, quotes and reactions from the Royal family saga for many days to come. One may well ask, who’s the ultimate winner, at least in the short run!
More in Harry’s memoirs
The lighter side of British tabloids, an acknowledgement on unconscious bias, which he felt he was also victim to, and suggested the royal family is as well. It has to do a lot with the upbringing you have and your exposure to the media, the debate about misogyny addressed through journalist Jeremy Clarkson’s remarks late in 2022 against Meghan Markle for which the royal family never issued a statement, his desire to one day, make peace with his father and brother and hopefully, serve in the monarchy, if that is still possible.
Spare, Harry’s memoirs are due to hit book stores on January 10th 2023.
Here’s an excerpt from the interviews:
