Book SummarySpare, by Prince Harry

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Spare

Why would a member of the British Royal Family, someone born to wealth and influence that most people can only dream of, choose to throw away his status and move to a different country? In Spare, Prince Henry Charles Albert David, Duke of Sussex—usually referred to as Prince Harry—explains why he left his homeland, family, and royal role, instead choosing to live in California with his wife (American former actress Meghan Markle).

Harry tells his life story from his own perspective, rather than from the distorted perspective of the British media—usually the main source for royal news, and an institution that Harry despises. He describes the hardships he faced as the younger son of a royal family—the so-called “spare” child, valued less than the heir. He also talks at length about his struggles with poor...

Spare Summary Harry’s Family Relationships

As Spare is, in large part, an explanation of why Harry and Meghan decided to leave the Royal Family and move to America, we’ll begin by exploring his often difficult relationships with his closest family members.

The Late Queen Elizabeth II

Harry was born on September 15, 1984, the son of current King Charles III and Diana Spencer—better known as Diana, Princess of Wales. He’s therefore the grandson of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was the United Kingdom’s longest-reigning monarch and a beloved figure in British society.

(Shortform note: Queen Elizabeth was the longest-reigning member of a long dynasty of monarchs. The British Royal Family has reigned for well over a millennium, and it traces its lineage directly to King Alfred the Great, a legendary medieval king. The current royals adopted the name the House of Windsor during World War I, due to fears that their former name (House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) sounded too German.)

Harry had a special relationship with the late Queen. He portrays her as warm and loving, with a great sense of...

Spare Summary Harry’s Military Career

Harry says more than once that his time in the military was the happiest of his life. Having a clear purpose—and the anonymity of a callsign—helped him to focus his attention and forget about the hardships of royalty.

This section will explore Harry's military career, starting with the sudden cancellation of his deployment to Iraq and ending with him founding the Invictus Games, a sports event for veterans.

Failed Deployment to Iraq

Harry attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst from 2005 to 2006. On April 12, 2006, he officially graduated from Sandhurst and became a Second Lieutenant in the British Army.

(Shortform note: Sandhurst trains the majority of the British Army’s officers, and has done so for over 200 years. Before Sandhurst’s establishment, most officers trained at private military colleges—if they received any training at all. Sandhurst prides itself on [teaching...

Spare Summary Harry’s Mental Health Struggles

Another clear theme in Spare is Harry’s lifelong struggle with anxiety and trauma. Though his poor mental health tinges many of the experiences he shares in the book, this section will focus specifically on the period from 2013 to 2015, when Harry’s mental health was at its worst.

Initial Experiences With PTSD and Anxiety

Harry reveals that he’s experienced intense anxiety throughout most of his life. By the end of the summer of 2013, his mental health was declining sharply. He experienced alternating bouts of crippling depression and panic attacks. He developed a phobia of crowds and public spaces, but his worst fear was of cameras, with days-long anxious episodes triggered by the mere sound of a camera shutter.

(Shortform note: Anxiety like Harry describes here is the body responding to danger, triggering what’s commonly called the “fight, flight, or freeze” response. In other words, Harry was interpreting everyday things like crowds and cameras as physical threats to his safety, and his body was responding with a primal stress response.)

Harry...

Spare Summary Harry’s Marriage to Meghan Markle

In this final section of the guide, we’ll discuss Harry and Meghan’s courtship and marriage, as well as the struggles they faced after their relationship went public. We’ll also examine how the couple eventually stepped down from their royal duties and moved to America, where they and their two children still live today.

Meeting Meghan Markle

In July 2016, while scrolling through Instagram, Harry saw a short video of his friend Violet and another woman. He was immediately captivated by the stranger and asked Violet who she was. Violet replied that she was the actress Meghan Markle, most famous for her long-running role on Suits, and offered to get the two of them in touch with each other. Harry eagerly accepted. The two began chatting almost non-stop online, then started dating.

(Shortform note: Finding a significant other online is becoming more common for everyone, not just for celebrities hiding from the public. A Stanford sociologist reported that, in 2017, nearly 40% of heterosexual American couples [had first met...

Shortform Exercise: Reflect on Spare

Harry’s memoir provides an unprecedented look into life in the British Royal Family. Take some time now to think about what you’ve read and how it might change your views on Harry, his family, and how the media treats people.

How familiar were you with Prince Harry and the Royal Family before reading this guide?