Aroyal expert has suggested that Prince Harry experienced a “feeling of inadequacy” in comparison to his older brother, Prince William, even during their childhood, a concern that was shared by their mother, Princess Diana.

The Duke of Sussex’s relationship with the Royal Family has been strained since he relocated to the United States, where he has openly criticized his former lifestyle in interviews with American media outlets.

In his memoir, entitled “Spare,” Harry discusses his upbringing and the nickname given to him by his father, the then-Prince Charles. The title of the book refers to Charles’ alleged comment to Diana: “Wonderful! Now you’ve given me an heir and a spare – my work is done,” reports the Mirror UK.

Harry expresses resentment towards this nickname in his book, as it symbolizes his secondary role to William throughout his childhood and within the Royal family.

Royal biographer Ingrid Seward suggests that Diana was concerned about Harry’s feelings of inadequacy compared to William from a young age. She recounts a story when Harry reacted angrily at school after being compared to his older brother.


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“[Diana] was very concerned about [Harry’s] feeling of inadequacy with William. Even when they were very little, when Harry went to Miss Minors, which was the baby school, after William had been there, the teacher there said to him ‘here Harry, play with this clay, William used to be really good at making model figures,'” Ms Seward told The Sun.

“Harry threw it down and said ‘no!,’ so from a very young age, Harry felt inadequate. It was nothing to do with Diana, nothing to do with Charles, but it was just there.”

The Duke of Sussex used his revealing book to make several claims about his family, including that Prince William referred to Meghan Markle as ‘difficult’, ‘rude’ and ‘abrasive’, and once pushed him into a dog bowl. He also alleged that Prince Charles denied Meghan the opportunity to join him in Scotland while the late Queen was on her deathbed.


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Since “Spare” hit the market, relations between Harry and his father and older brother appear to have deteriorated further. The feud between Harry and William, which was already simmering before the book’s release, has reportedly grown even colder.

The Sunday Times reports that the brothers last spoke at their grandmother, the late Queen’s funeral in September 2022 – and even then, according to Harry’s memoir, they “barely exchanged a word.”

The paperback edition of “Spare” is set to hit shelves next month. Typically, when a non-fiction book is released in paperback, it includes additional chapters or updated information.

However, this will not be the case for “Spare”. The paperback edition will feature the same cover image in a fresh design, and the “contents of the book are unchanged”.