Prince Harry’s book, Spare, is slated for release in January

With the title Spare, the book is described by its
publisher, Penguin Randomhouse UK, as an “intimate and heartfelt
memoir”. The 416-page book will be released in 16 languages together with
an an audiobook to be read by the author.

“Written with raw, unflinching honesty,” explains
the publisher, “Spare finds the Prince writing about some moments from his
life publicly for the first time.”

In the book, the Duke of Sussex’s tell-all will include his thoughts when he and his brother William had to walk behind
their mother’s coffin. Harry was barely 13 when his mother, Diana, Princess of
Wales, died after a high-speed crash.

The  prince also
writes about his experience with the armed forces, which twice took him to the
frontlines of Afghanistan, and the joy of being a husband and father.

“It offers an honest and captivating personal portrait,
one that shows readers that behind everything they think they know about the
Prince lies a story that is variably inspiring, courageous, and
eye-opening,” Penguin Randomhouse said.

“I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as
the man I have become,” the 38-year-old prince said in a statement alongside the announcement of Spare‘s release.

“I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and
figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story – the highs and lows, the
mistakes, the lessons learned – I can help show that no matter where we come
from, we have more in common than we think. I’m deeply grateful for the
opportunity to share what I’ve learned over the course of my life so far and
excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and
wholly truthful,” he continued.

The memoir’s title is a reference to the phrase “the
heir and the spare,” which is often used to describe Harry and William.
When Harry was born, he was next to William in the line of succession but the
birth of William’s three children has since pushed Harry further down the line.
Their father, King Charles III, succeeded to the throne after the Queen
Elizabeth II’s death in September.

Royals watchers and the public have been keeping an eye on the release of the book after it was first announced in July 2021. Just hours
after Thursday’s announcement, Spare shoot to Amazon.com’s top 10 bestseller
list.

While it is unknown how much the prince earned from this
book deal, he intends to donate the proceeds of the book’s sales to two British
charities. He has already given $1.5 million to Sentebale, an organization he
co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help children and young people in
Lesotho and Botswana affected by HIV/AIDS.