I am sorry that I have not been publishing my reviews. I am a few months behind on reviews of the books that I have been reading. I am going to see about catching up the next few weeks!
My review:
I read this book so quickly. It was nice to see the proceeds of the book will be going to charities. His dedication to public work, military (thanks for his service), and charities around the world makes all his work as a royal worth it. He is the one royal that is relatable: down to earth and funny.
One thing is for certain, everyone has an opinion on Prince Harry leaving his duties with the royal family. This memoir is his way of setting the record straight. Granted, we are only hearing one side of the story. I mean, no one really knows Prince Harry, even though we all watched him grow up. We all watched them through the media. As I read this novel, I wonder how much of that is based on truth.
The main topic in his book is his constant battle with the tabloids and press. The odd relationship that his family has with the media is disturbing. The unethical things that the media does just to sell their magazines. The media has pitted family members against each other, destroyed relationships, etc. I can see how a newcomer to the family with the constant torment by the media would affect someone’s mental health. He lost his mother due to a part of the media giving chase. Harry also had to leave the military due to the media leaking his whereabouts, making it unsafe. He has lost countless relationships with women who could not handle the onslaught of the media who stalked them and their families. You have a conversation with your father in private then, the next day, you see it on the news. You make a reckless mistake in your youth, then must explain it to the world. The invasion of privacy must be hard for even a celebrity. But with him, he did not have a choice. He was born into a wealthy and famous family.
Throughout the memoir, I compared myself to Harry. I also lost a parent in a car accident. It is very hard to come to terms with such a sudden death. I had a lot of the same feelings as Harry did. There is no right way to grief. I feel so horrible for him, being so young when he lost his mother. You can tell that it torments him a lot. I think his mother was his only sense of normal in his life.
Another topic that is talked about throughout the memoir is his dysfunctional family. They do not have a traditional “we support and love each other” type of family. But in all of this, I still thought that the siblings were close. After reading the books, they do appear to be opposites.
The family seems like they have full control over even the little things. It is not just a family, but also a business. We all have family drama. Why should Harry and Megan not have it too? We do not have people all over the world butting their heads into our family drama.
I give Harry and Megan a lot of credit. They are trying to normalize mental health. Harry’s mother had a history of mental illness. Diana admitted her own mental health issues with dealing with isolation, depression, family, etc. I give them both credit for discussing their therapy. To be so openly public about it. I have recently been diagnosed with C-PTSD. I never thought that something like this would happen to me. I have just started to talk more openly about my illness. Furthermore, I know how bullying and being surrounded by people you cannot trust can do to your psyche.
Harry feeling as only the “spare” breaks my heart. He is way more than a spare in the public’s eye. And a lot more important for the many charities and soldiers that he has helped.
Harry sure does love his wife and kids. I wish the book would have talked more about being a dad and husband than his fights with his family. I want him to be happy. Isn’t that the entire reason why his family left? Let me, the reader, know that him and his family are doing okay and are safe now. How different it is being away from the British media? Has their mental health improved? What charities have they been working with and any upcoming projects? Milestone of his children? I just want them to have their happily ever after.
I wish he would have talked about Megan’s charity work too. I have long admired her work with helping empower women across the globe.
His travel all over the world intrigued me. I wish that I had the opportunities that he has had in his life. From adventure at the North and South Poles, Australia, Africa, Canada, United States, France, etc. His experiences away from the public and the cameras were the best experiences of his life. His experiences with being able to be on safari or herding cattle were some of the happiest moments of his life.
Overall, this novel was a great look into a family that we have all grown up watching. There were no big revelations in the book that has not already been discussed in his interviews. I do recommend this book.