Mail: Why hasn’t Prince Harry released a paperback edition of ‘Spare’?

Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, was released in January 2023. It broke many nonfiction sales records and it was a bestseller in dozens of countries, likely earning millions of dollars for Harry. With a big publishing success like that, I would imagine that his publisher, Penguin Random House, would love nothing more than a second memoir. Even without that, surely Penguin Random House would love to publish a paperback edition of Spare with new chapters? As of this moment, there’s been absolutely no gossip or reporting on when or if a paperback edition of Spare will come out. This is the focus of the Ephraim Hardcastle column in the Mail:

Eighteen months after publication of Prince Harry’s Spare and still no sign of the paperback version.

Publishers are usually swift to get one on the market, especially if they can market it as containing ‘sensational’ new material.

But it seems Harry has no new spare excitement to impart. His family has kept him at arms length, aware that anything they say could be taken down and used in evidence against them.

The only exclusives Harry could offer relate to his view of the Coronation from behind Aunt Anne’s plumed hat and how he nipped in to Buck House en route to Heathrow to use the loo. Too much information, Harry?

While Meghan didn’t dispatch Lucozade and grapes to her father-in-law when he was diagnosed with cancer, she did privately wish the King well.

Will she dispatch birthday greetings to her father Thomas when he reaches his 80th tomorrow?

[From The Daily Mail]

The real story is that the Mail is looking at a three-month dead-gossip period when the Windsors decamp to their country boltholes for the summer. The Mail and other tabloids would love nothing more than a juicy paperback edition with new chapters to obsess over and report on. They actually love the fact that Harry either does their dirty work for them or that they can use Harry as a vessel through which they can attack the Windsors. But yeah, I’d love a paperback edition of Spare as well. Despite the Mail’s childish saltiness, everyone knows that Harry is sitting on tons of dirt about the Windsors and tons of insider information.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

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74 Responses to “Mail: Why hasn’t Prince Harry released a paperback edition of ‘Spare’?”

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  1. equality says:

    Considering how VERY well the hardcover and audio book have sold, maybe they consider the audience has been tapped? Any other content may be things PH has elected to not reveal right now, at least or that legally was iffy or is being held for a second book.

    • Lucy says:

      Nah, the delay on the paperback just shows that the publisher’s still making so much money from the hardcover that they have zero incentive to release the paperback.

      Typically publishers will release a paperback about a year after the hardcover comes out, but if the hardcover’s selling well, they’ll wait longer, because they’re still making money on the hardcover. This whole non-story just shows that the Mail has zero understanding of how book publishing works. They’re accidentally reporting that Spare is selling unbelievably well.

      • SURE says:

        The DM knows how the publishing game works. They never let the truth get in the way of their smears.

  2. Cassie says:

    What a petty , childish article .

    Sounds like whoever wrote it is 15 and having a spat with her ex best friend on Facebook .

    Honestly don’t think Harry has given a thought to adding to his book .
    He has more interesting things to do than think about that pathetic bunch of losers .

    • Harla A Brazen Hussy says:

      Cassie, you’ve just described the entire British press!! Brilliant!

    • CatMum says:

      I think it’s worth mentioning that this ridiculous article wasn’t even signed.

      “Ephraim Hardcastle” is a pseudonym, and different people write under its shield. so it’s not only childish, but also cowardly.

  3. Harla A Brazen Hussy says:

    I would love it if Harry decided to burn it all down!! I don’t imagine that he will but…

    • Hypocrisy says:

      If he does do a paperback with new chapters I would love it to be about the court cases from Prince Harry’s perspective.. maybe he’s waiting until they are over. I just feel like he has moved past the leftovers and his focus in Britain has to do with these lawsuits and not that family.

      • Chaine says:

        That’s what I think, too. Once all of the court cases are over and done, he will add material about them and his feelings at the end of that road.

  4. SussexWatcher says:

    They’re always giving the game away. “Anything they say could be taken down and used in evidence against them” is what people who have committed crimes are told as they’re being arrested. What does this author really want us to know about a royal family member?

    As for paperback Spare, maybe they’ll time the release closer to the next Invictus Games. Who knows and who cares. If and when it’s released, it’ll sell a ton more copies and make Harry a ton more money. And maybe it’ll include some of the additional 400 pages that Harry mentioned!

    • therese says:

      @Sussexwatcher
      My thought immediately was that the paperback release has been held back until and if a further salvo needs to be had from the Sussex camp, in which case more info from the additional 400 pages would be included. I would LOVE for Harry to cut loose. I would love that. But he is judicious in what he does.

    • Lorelei says:

      Right?! When they’re talking about this family and it sounds like they’re being given a Miranda warning if they say a single thing about themselves in front of Harry, that’s some insane self-incrimination.

  5. Hypocrisy says:

    Love that they are going to have that three month dry spell. If they ever do publish a paperback version I definitely would purchase it, would love more chapters also but I really don’t see Prince Harry adding any new ones for this book, just a feeling. I think he is done with his family except for big events like coronations and funerals. (I don’t think he’s going to Williams coronation but he would go to George’s).

    • Lady D says:

      George and Harry have no relationship, and will probably have even less of one when George is crowned. I just don’t see Harry getting an invite, but I guess we’ll see.

    • Julia says:

      He has no relationship with George so I doubt that will happen. I’m not even sure there will be a monarchy after William. It is very much being sustained by the over 50s. When they are no longer around will there be any enthusiasm for all this fawning deference?

  6. Eurydice says:

    I don’t think the DM even care about new chapters – a paperback would be an opportunity to rehash the old stories. Already we have stories about how Mike Tindall snubbed Harry 2 years ago and whatever Meghan might have said to Beyoncé in 2019.

    • sunnyside up says:

      In the Excess I have just read a story about when the late Queen released a picture of the direct heirs in 2016 and saying that Harry and Meghan regarded it as a direct snub, They didn’t get engaged until Nov. 2017. The newspapers are getting desperate.

      • Eurydice says:

        Oh, that’s too funny. Next, they’ll be saying that Meghan made Elizabeth cry.

      • HeatherC says:

        Eurydice, they’ve pretty much already said Meghan and Harry (but mostly Meghan) made Elizabeth and Phillip die. Because no super elderly people die without Meghan causing it.

  7. sunnyside up says:

    I seem to remember that Harry said he wasn’t going to say anymore, conveniently forgotten when newspapers say the royals don’t trust him.

    • Just Jade says:

      I guess the Island rats 🐀 are thinking how they are going to pay for their rents or mortgages within the next three months. Will the rats & corp ever leave the Sussexes alone? It’s almost five years since the Sussexes left that asylum and they are more crazy and cruel now than ever specially about Meghan and they no longer hide their racism towards her.

  8. Neeve says:

    I dont know much about publishing,are the deals a must for a paperback to be released at some point,I’m guessing this is only for non fiction?

    • Julia says:

      Paperbacks are usually released about 6 months to a year after the hardback. However, if a book does extremely well then the publisher might hold off because they make more money from selling hardbacks. Some bestsellers didn’t release in paperback until 3 years after the hardback release because it was selling so well.

      • Alice B. Tokeless says:

        Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil wasn’t released in paperback for four years as it was still selling well. Once the numbers start dropping, they’ll release the paperback.

      • Becks1 says:

        I just checked and A Promised Land by Obama comes out in paperback this August, and that was released in November 2020. So there may be a lag like that with Spare.

  9. Tina says:

    don’t see any need for a paperback (would personally love the other 400 pages though). Hes said they are done and moving forward. Releasing a paperback would just be going backwards in my opinion. The Sussexes have had a great 2024 and should just keep moving forward on their post-uk life.

  10. ML says:

    Interesting that there is so much that the RR are -Not- writing about (exhibit A: What is going on with William January-July?), that when they get into a “hairy” situation they feel like we should “spare” them a thought.

    • sevenblue says:

      There are periods of royal history literally missing. No one dares to speak about what is happening with Kate & Will, but we get hundred of books on the times Meghan was living in UK. The historians will probably call it “blackout period”.

  11. sevenblue says:

    They are salivating at the paperback edition with new chapters since the book came out. They were saying it is gonna come out soon. They don’t know sh*t. I understand the paperback is an ordinary part of book selling process, but Harry already sold a record number of books. I don’t see why they would come out with a paperback edition. People already bought it. Maybe it can sell a little more, but I think the current book is already selling enough. Maybe, if Harry wants to add new chapters, it would be after all of his media lawsuits are done, so he can give a closure about that. Other than that, the book ended with Lili’s birth and it was perfect, imo.

    • BeanieBean says:

      Nah, a big book like this will of course come out in paperback. As others have said earlier, really big sellers wait a bit on releasing the paperback as hardbacks sell at higher prices. A lot of folks actually wait til something comes out in paperback to buy it, because it’s cheaper & easier to carry around (those that don’t go to libraries, that is). Me, I prefer a paperback always, simply because they’re easier for me to hold.

      • kirk says:

        I’m guessing a few of the potential paperback buyers have already moved over to e-Books. I purchased several copies of Spare, 3 hardcopy, 2 Kindle version (for sharing) and Audible. Don’t have a Kindle device, just use the Kindle app across various platforms. I’m not sure paperback ‘updates’ are worthwhile. Purchased one of Omid Scobie’s books, then checked out the new ‘updated’ version of it from the library and couldn’t tell the difference – mostly because I didn’t want to go back and reread the old version.

  12. Miranda says:

    There’s a risk inherent to writing your memoirs, that just because you’ve chosen to share many deeply personal experiences, some people will feel entitled to learn ALL your secrets. Harry said from the very beginning that there were some things that he would never reveal publicly, and I think that his stance ought to be respected by detractors and supporters alike. I’m willing to bet that a lot of those “secrets” are just things that we’ve long suspected, anyway.

  13. Becks1 says:

    If we ever get a paperback version, I doubt there will be a lot of new chapters, unless he does a deeper dive into the mess around his grandmother’s death, but i doubt we’ll get a lot more.

    Now it’s been a year and a half and Harry and Meghan have made it clear that they’ve moved on, so I wonder if he is the one saying no to the paperback? Or if the publisher just feels they’ve made their money and then some so a paperback isn’t necessary? Personally I don’t know anyone who wants to read it who hasn’t – between personal lending, the library, audiobooks, and buying the book, I think the book really made the rounds. So maybe it is just tapped out, market wise.

  14. PennyCandy says:

    I have a large print paperback edition of Spare, got it on Amazon

    • sunnyside up says:

      Just the sort of thing that Harry would have had released to help those with difficulty reading. I’m beginning to find the small print is getting smaller as well.

    • windyriver says:

      B&N was stocking the large print paperback in their stores as well when Spare was published. They had it on displays along with the hardcover, audio CD, and (in my area) Spanish language version. The publisher was prepared for a bonanza from the start, and got it.

      I’m not surprised if there’s been no rush to come out in regular paperback, especially if Harry isn’t interested in adding anything significant to a new edition, at least right now. Maybe he’ll have something to say later about his ongoing media and other legal battles. Otherwise, I think the book and documentary served their intended purpose, and Harry means what he’s said, that he and Meghan are focused on building their new life in the US – and are happy to starve the UK media and RF of oxygen by ignoring them as much as possible.

  15. Jay says:

    Why would the publisher choose to make less money? Spare topped the list of best sellers for all of 2023, and it is still selling in the hardcover form, which makes way more money.

    I’m fairly certain that if Harry and his publishers make the decision to publish a paperback, they will base it on the market and not on the advice of some random British columnist.

  16. Jais says:

    Boo hoo. Cry more. No new chapters for you, BM.

  17. Amy Bee says:

    As others have said Spare made a lot money is still making money so the paperback may not be released for awhile, if ever.

  18. Lauren says:

    Not sure about the publisher view on when to release a paperback edition but I would think after Harry’s hacking lawsuits are done

    • PrincessK says:

      That is my thinking too. Harry may want to say something about the lawsuits.
      The media of course would love a paperback with more info, because the Sussexes are the only members of the RF they are allowed to write rubbish about.

  19. aquarius64 says:

    Sounds like the BM is regretting that invisible contract with the BRF because it’s losing money.

    • Lady D says:

      Who is going to be the royal target for the summer? Will it be the classless oaf Mike, the attention hungry Zara, Beatrice only because she’s a closer target than her sister, or a random royal like say Beatrice’s husband? Where’s Andrew for the summer? By the way Andrew, the FBI would like a word. I hope Louise doesn’t land in their crosshairs. Would Sophie embrace that or shut it down?

      • Jais says:

        Peter Phillips and his new gf?

      • sunnyside up says:

        They will leave Louise alone, she’s pretty and white, they want her to be a “working” royal.

      • Lorelei says:

        @Lady D, don’t be silly. It will continue to be the Sussexes. Won’t matter if they don’t make a peep or step outside their home. It will all still be about the Sussexes.

  20. Libra says:

    Harry has moved on. However, there are 400 unpublished pages that hold some nasty secrets. The prudent person ( RF) would not keep poking the bear last Harry torch it all down, but the tabloids dearly want to know what’s in those pages so they won’t stop egging Harry on until they get some news.

  21. Lau says:

    This DM article is deranged, truly there are no other words to describe it. Absolutely deranged.

  22. Ginger says:

    Spare is still selling well. It’s pretty hard to find in my area and the my local library has a months long wait for the e book.
    I don’t see him doing a paperback version. I feel like his memoir was his way of saying goodbye to that part of his life. He has moved on and has said how much he loves living in the U.S. and being free. He is done.

  23. Latoya Newell says:

    I don’t think the UK press understands that they have been ghosted. Harry and Meghan will not be speaking about them or anybody in the royal family for that matter. And may seem to be having a problem with the fact that they are extremely quiet and aren’t saying anything else, it’s what they deserve. Still talking about the Pat Tillman awards it’s like 5 days out but they don’t have no new material so they can do is keep rehashing the same old s***. Because that’s all they got, rehashing the same pictures the old pictures cuz they ain’t got nothing new and they’ll never see their children so let them live in the rehashed world cuz eventually people going to be tired of them saying the same thing over and over and over year after year after year. Cuz if they can’t come up with no new information there’s no use for them or the Royal Family.

  24. QuiteContrary says:

    I hope worry over the thought of a new edition of “Spare” keeps William up at night.

    • Lorelei says:

      Same. I find myself thinking about those alleged unpublished 400 pages or whatever every once in a while, but it must absolutely *haunt* William, knowing they’re out there somewhere and Harry could decide to publish them whenever he gets fed up.

  25. Anna says:

    I’m curious what his ghostwriter’s view is now that he’s experienced how absolutely bonkers the BM are over Harry and Meghan, he said himself he didn’t really believe the extent of the fervour until after Spare released. I wonder if he omitted or softened some of the narrative around that, not knowing what he does now.

    Post-Spare, I distinctly remember him sharing in an article about the nonsense the BM put him through when the publishers put a name to the ghostwriter, how BM reporters were following his family, and trying to climb into his window.

  26. SueinOrleans says:

    I wonder how much of the recent barrage of nasty Meghan Markle gossip that has been clogging my FB feed are connected to the Daily Mail et al? It’s just been insane in the last few days. A desperate attempt to drum up readers for their pathetic rags? I guess this is why even though they hate Harry and Meghan so much they are willing to help him make even more millions by pushing for a paperback and ideally with new content.

    • sevenblue says:

      It might be because of Harry’s interview about hacking on ITV. I think it is gonna air in a week. They always go after Meghan to hurt Harry.

  27. Renae says:

    Harry putting out a paperback edition?….Meh!
    However, I would love for Meghan to write about her experiences with the Royals! She most likely never will as it might bring back too many awful memories. However I’d pay large for that.

    • Lorelei says:

      I think Meghan very well might publish one eventually, but likely not for a long time.
      It was not an accident that she purposely mentioned she’d been keeping a journal throughout her time in England. @Renae, I’m with you and would hit that pre-order button so fast, lol, but I think she wants to move on and focus on the future for now. But I reeeeeeally hope she writes one at some point down the road.

  28. Kingston says:

    Those buzzards on Shithole Isle persistently fail to grasp H&M’s ethos……what they stand for….what they believe in…..their intentionality regarding how they move and have their being in the world, and I love that for them. Because it means H&M will ALWAYS be miles ahead of them.

    H knows them so well because he not only studied their M-O all his life but, along with his military training in the art of war, he is able to anticipate their every move long before they make their move and because he’s now a free man and can act in anticipation of their moves, I do believe he enjoys watching them scramble.

    So, regarding the panting going on about a paperback version of Spare, heres my free FYI to the buzzards on Shithole Isle: Its not gonna happen.

    Recall what H said about WHY he and M did their “look-back projects” (of which Spare is one and their personal documentary is the other); he said when he saw all the lies from both the palace and their cohorts in the shitmedia and their deliberate attempts to distort the facts and truth about him and his wife and why they had to leave; and when he considered that this distortion will be what future generations of little boys in Ludgrove and folks all over the world would read about this period and how things went down, it made him angry, outraged and fired up to do something about it.

    And so he wrote Spare; and so they did their documentary.

    And they labeled these their “Look-Back” projects. And he said, he and his wife having done that, were “moving on.”

    So, no. There wont be a paperback version of Spare. In fact, I have always believed that the millions that he has earned and continues to earn from Spare is what he’s using to fight all these court cases he has against the shitmedia. I strongly believe that those millions are ring-fenced for what he knows will be a long haul thru the courts. Because he’s not taking any settlement if he can avoid it.

    But dont get it twisted: those 400+ additional pages are still there. And they may see the light of day if incandescent baldy shits the bed when he gets his big hat.

    Those fvkrs who believe that because he’s no longer inside the cult and not au fait with their day-to-day tomfoolery that H doesnt have “new material” for a new book are so fucking stuuuuupid. He doesnt need new material on them because “exposing them” thru “tell-alls” is not what H is or was about.

    But they should remember that for someone who has not yet hit the age of 40 and yet, has lived such a remarkable life, as many millions more of the world has seen since the ESPYs, they shouldnt crow too loudly about what H may or may not write about in the future.

    • Lorelei says:

      @Kingston, it’s not Harry’s decision— it’s the publisher’s.
      There will definitely be a paperback at some point (even if it doesn’t include any additional content), the only issue is when. I think the timeline that @Becks gave about Obama’s book above is probably the best comparison.

  29. tamsin says:

    For those familiar with publishing, would a second printing of the hardcover by a possibility?

    • SueinOrleans says:

      It would depend on how many copies were printed in the initial run. But given the unprecedented success of Spare I’d be surprised if they haven’t already had to run to at least a few more printings.

  30. Pajala says:

    I have a paperback edition of Spare! Should I worried that it’s contraband? Can I sell it for half a million dollars and donate the money to one of the Sussex charities?

    • sevenblue says:

      Better turn the money into cash, put it in a suitcase and hand it to Charles personally. That is the monarchy’s way. I heard he even lets you put some in his g-string if you say “Long Live King” 😂😂🤮.

  31. JonahH says:

    Both my target and Costco have signs that they will no longer be taking returns of the hardback version because they have such substantial inventory. Costco is selling theirs for $3 and target is selling for $6.

    If you recall, there was a requirement when it was released for a certain number to be purchased in order for stores to carry the book. At least in my area, southwest US, there are so many out in circulation, I don’t see people needing to buy the paperback.

    • Julia says:

      I’ve never heard of such a requirement, in fact it sounds like the sort of ‘fact’ that appears on anti Meghan and Harry troll Reddit pages. As does a store putting up signs like the one you are suggesting. I’m not saying you are lying but it sounds so suspiciously like something a troll would post…

    • sevenblue says:

      lol. Now the new lie is, the bookstores were forced to buy a certain number?? So, that is why it broke records, not because people (including me) bought it online all over the world. It is funny why the publishers don’t do the same thing for the other books. It was one of the most front-loaded books, because everyone was wondering about his side of the story. It is normal that now the demand is decreased. That doesn’t mean it isn’t selling anymore. It is a historical book, the first time a senior royal family member wrote a book out of the control of BRF machine. It will be read for decades to come whether the monarchy survives or not.

      Also, I bought it through Kindle and it transferred to my device almost at the end of the day, because the demand was too huge. I have never experienced this before with other books.

      • Julia says:

        @sevenblue you are correct. Also book sales are calculated by books bought by the consumer not how many a shop purchases so it would be idiotic for a publisher to demand that a certain number were bought. Also if these shops are allegedly so overstocked why don’t they send the excess back to the wholesaler as is common practice? The lies these trolls come up with..,

    • BeanieBean says:

      Huh. Target’s website indicates Spare is out of stock; and if purchased online (when/if it becomes available again), it goes for between $19-21.

    • SueinOrleans says:

      On Amazon.ca it’s still ranked #3 in sales for Royal biographies – ahead of Jobson and the rest of the hacks, and it’s #5 in British history which is what the BRF should really be worried about.
      It’s not “just” gossip, this is a book that scholars will be reading well into the future. Whatever reason the publishers have for not putting out a paperback it’s certainly not because there is no demand for this title. Despite what the trolls would like us to believe.

    • Lorelei says:

      @Jonahh, no offense, lol, but absolutely none of what you said is true.

    • kirk says:

      I have never seen Spare at the Costco I normally shop at. And I regularly check the book tables.