It seems Prince Harry’s literary journey has hit a royal roadblock. The paperback edition of *Spare* is turning out to be more of a dust collector than a bestseller, struggling to make much of an impact on the UK charts. Once a record-breaking success in its hardback form, Harry's memoir has now dropped to a modest 73rd place. In its second week, the book sold a mere fraction of its initial success.
What’s particularly striking is Harry’s decision to forgo interviews and promotional efforts for the paperback release. He appeared to make little effort to remind the public that *Spare* was back on the shelves. Entertainment commentator Peter Ford even described the release as a "pointless exercise," and it’s hard to disagree. Harry’s absence from the spotlight made the paperback version feel more like an afterthought.
Even more baffling is that the paperback wasn’t updated from the original hardback version. There were no new chapters, no exclusive photos, and not even a cheeky postscript reflecting on life in Montecito. One might have expected some updates, especially considering the tumultuous events Harry has experienced since *Spare*’s release in January 2023. However, Penguin Random House chose to recycle the same content, offering readers nothing more than "reheated leftovers."
It’s a disappointing turn for a book that once soared to the top of the UK’s bestseller list, with over 700,000 copies sold. This time around, *Spare* is being outpaced by titles from Richard Osman and even Jeremy Clarkson. For context, Osman’s *We Solve Murder* sold 12,373 copies in the same week that *Spare* managed just 3,400. Clarkson’s musings on farming were also outpacing Harry’s royal memoir. This raises the question: was Harry’s decision to skip the publicity tour a case of self-sabotage or simply a lack of interest? After being relentlessly covered in the media for the past two years, perhaps Harry felt there was little more to say.
The lack of fanfare surrounding the paperback release was notable, and even *The Bookseller* magazine remarked on the absence of a significant promotional push. In fact, charity shops have reportedly refused to accept any more copies of *Spare*, with the book now gathering dust on shelves or being given away for free with purchases of other books. One amusing comment on *The Daily Mail* mentioned a charity shop employee who said their store was "drowning in unsellable copies" of *Spare*. It seems that, at this rate, *Spare* might become the literary equivalent of a white elephant gift—unwanted and endlessly regifted.
Rumors have circulated that Penguin Random House may have tried to boost sales through some unconventional methods. Allegedly, some customers received two copies of the hardback instead of one, while others were offered the book for free with online orders over a certain amount. There were even reports of Harry handing out free copies to unsuspecting flight attendants. Imagine the poor souls on a long-haul flight from London to LA, politely accepting a copy of *Spare* just to avoid an awkward interaction!
At least we can laugh about the time Meghan Markle used copies of her own book to prop up a laptop during a video call. Perhaps the Sussexes are running out of storage space at their Montecito mansion, with books piling up like unsold Beanie Babies.
In the end, the paperback edition of *Spare* might live up to its name—spare in sales, spare in updates, and spare in public interest. If Harry ever decides to write another book, he might want to take a page out of Richard Osman’s playbook—literally.
