This was also Harry's initial encounter with his family following the explosive Oprah Winfrey interview he and the Duchess of Sussex participated in , where they divulged their challenges within the Royal Family and explained their decision to step down and emigrate. In 'Spare', released in January 2023, Harry confesses to feeling anxious while awaiting the arrival of William and Charles for their meeting, at one point fearing they might have decided against it.
However, he described seeing his father and brother with a "grim, almost menacing" expression as they approached him. The Duke remembered when he offered them "a weak smile", there was no warmth returned, igniting in him "a hugely intense vulnerability" prompting thoughts of his late mother, Princess Diana, wishing she could lend him strength during the encounter.
Harry shared his greeting to his brother "Willy" and his father "Pa", noting their response was a singular and "painfully tepid" utterance: "Harold," reports the Mirror .
In Harry's words: "At last, I saw them. Shoulder to shoulder, striding towards me, they looked grim, almost menacing. Moreover, they seemed united. My stomach dropped. Usually, they'd be at odds over something, but now they were together - in tandem. The question struck me: Is this a casual walk...or is it a showdown?
"I got up from the wooden bench, moved apprehensively toward them, gave a weak smile. They didn't reciprocate. My heart started hammering even faster. Take deep breaths, I commanded myself. Aside from the sheer panic, I felt an extreme alertness and a profoundly intense vulnerability, reminiscent of other pivotal moments in my life. Marching behind my mother's casket. Heading into combat for the first time. Delivering a speech amidst a bout of anxiety.
"There was that same sense of embarking on a quest, and not knowing if I was up to it, while also fully knowing that there was no turning back. That Fate was in the saddle. OK, Mummy, I thought, picking up the pace, here goes. Wish me luck. We met in the middle of the path. Willy? Pa? Hello. Harold. Painfully tepid."
In his book, Harry disclosed that he was dubbed "Spare" by his father, Charles, who reportedly said after his birth: "Wonderful! Now you've given me an heir and a spare - my work is done."
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The Guardian highlighted Prince Harry's deep-seated resentment towards his nickname 'Spare', which he discusses in his memoir. The paper commented: "Harry's resentment of being the 'spare' is the underlying theme of his book, through chapters on his childhood, his schooling, his career as a royal and in the British Army, his relationship with his parents and brother, and his life with Meghan through courtship, wedding, and marriage, to their own experience of parenthood."
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