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Queen would have been 'devastated' by Harry's bombshell memoir

An insider says they're 'almost comforted' knowing Her Majesty isn't around to see the fallout.

Prince Harry's bombshell memoir Spare was accidentally released early in Spain this week, with the Duke of Sussex's countless claims against the royal family going public ahead of the January 10 publish date. Harry is seemingly laying everything on the table with the book, with one insider claiming the Queen 'would have been devastated' by the headlines.

Some of the bombshells include Harry revealing he and his brother Prince William came to blows in a fight over Meghan, as well as claims Harry begged his father, King Charles, not to marry his wife, Camilla and that William and Kate Middleton convinced the Duke to wear the infamous Nazi costume in 2005.

Queen and Prince Harry
Insiders claim the Queen 'would have been devastated' by Prince Harry's bombshell memoir Spare, which was released in Spain this week. Photo: Getty

While the book was meant to be available for purchase on Tuesday, with publisher Penguin Random House rumoured to be engaging intense security to keep the book from being seen until January 10, a blunder meant copies were put on sale in Spain, despite boxes saying they should not be opened until the official release date.

According to Daily Mail, while some people from Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace expressed sympathy for Harry, given the loss of his mother at a young age, many others see it as a betrayal of his family, just four months after the Queen's passing.

An insider, who reportedly knew the Queen well, said they felt "almost comforted" that she wasn't alive to see what her grandson had done.

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"Her Majesty would have been devastated," they said, especially as the memoir was more explosive than they could have anticipated.

Harry and William's shock physical fight

One of the most shocking stories to come from the book involves the physical fight between William, who Harry refers to as his "arch-nemesis" and "polar opposite".

Harry claims that in 2019 he and William got into a fight at Nottingham Cottage, where he was living with his wife, Meghan Markle. The Duke says he was left with visible “scrapes and bruises” on his back after being thrown onto the floor.

The Prince says that his brother came over to discuss the furore surrounding his relationship with Meghan and the way the couple were being treated by the press.

Prince Harry and Prince William
Harry says he was left with visible “scrapes and bruises” on his back after a physical fight with William in 2019. Photo: Getty

However, Harry writes that the Prince of Wales was “piping hot” when he arrived and began complaining about Meghan, calling her “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive”.

After Harry accused William of “parrot[ing] the press narrative” about Meghan, the pair became embroiled in a shouting match before escalating further, Harry says.

Harry then lashed out at William, accusing him of acting as an heir. The pair traded insults when William told Harry he was attempting to help, Harry writes.

“Are you serious? Help me? Sorry — is that what you call this? Helping me?” Harry recalls telling his brother.

According to Harry, this made William furious, who swore before following him into the kitchen. He claims that he offered his brother a glass of water while trying to calm him down. “Willy, I can’t speak to you when you’re like this,” he recalls saying.

Prince Harry's book Spare
Harry made the claims in his book Spare, which was released early in Spain this week. Photo: Penguin Random House

Harry writes: “He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor.

“I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.”

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Harry claims that his brother tried to get him to retaliate physically, but he refused to engage. William ‘looked regretful, and apologised’, but also told Harry not to inform Meghan about their altercation, he writes.

Harry says he asked William: “You mean that you attacked me?”

The royal claims William replied and said: “I didn’t attack you, Harold.”

Harry informed his therapist about the alleged altercation but didn't inform his wife straight away. However, he says that Meghan noticed his “scrapes and bruises” from falling on the dog bowl, and he came clean.

Although she was “terribly sad”, the royal writes that “she wasn’t surprised, and wasn’t all that angry”.

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