Prince Harry Says “I Want a Family, Not An Institution” While Promoting Memoir
The Duke of Sussex also shares why going public with his story was the only choice.
Prince Harry is teeing up for the release of his memoir with back-to-back press interviews with ITV’s Tom Bradby and Anderson Cooper from CBS’ 60 Minutes. Both sit-down interviews will air on Sunday, Jan. 8, just two days before Spare hits bookshelves on Jan. 10.
Spare is expected to reveal major bombshells about Harry’s upbringing and former life as a royal. Fans will also get a more intimate look at his marriage to Meghan Markle. The bold memoir comes exactly one month after the couple’s Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan, which set Buckingham Palace ablaze with explosive claims about their time there as working senior royals.
In a teaser for 60 Minutes, Cooper probes Harry by asking if he’s really set on healing old wounds and keeping the royal family intact, why not resolve his issues in private rather than on air and in print?
“Every single time I’ve tried to do it privately there have been briefings and leakings and planting of stories against me and my wife,” Harry responds.
The Duke of Sussex adds: “The family motto is ‘never complain, never explain,’ but it’s just a motto.”
This isn’t the first time Harry has referenced this “motto.” Throughout the docuseries, the couple touches on the great lengths the institution goes to to protect certain members of the royal family. The Duke and Duchess say they and their children were not part of that inner circle. Rather, they felt like they were served on a silver platter to the UK tabloids.
“So when we’re being told for the last six years, ‘We can’t put a statement out to protect you’, but you do it for other members of the family, there becomes a point when silence is betrayal,” Harry tells Anderson of the situation.
ITV also dropped a teaser, via The Guardian. Speaking to Bradby, Harry shared that while he would like nothing more to reconnect with his father and brother, their restraint has made it nearly impossible to do so.
“They’ve shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile,” he argues, seemingly referring to King Charles and Prince William. “I would like to get my father back. I would like to have my brother back.”
Harry was quick to reiterate that he wants his family back, not their — for a lack of a better word — henchmen.
“I want a family, not an institution,” he quips, adding “it never had to be this way.”
Both interviews will premiere on Sunday, Jan, 8.
ITV’s 90-minute special will air on ITV1 at 9pm GMT (4pm EST for US viewers). It will also be available for streaming on ITVX for those outside of the UK.
60 Minutes will air its program at 7pm EST on CBS.
