Spare

Lack of privacy and the insidious impact of press intrusion is a constant theme in Spare. Prince Harry compares life as a royal to living in a “surreal fishbowl” (92). The press feels entitled to intrude and comment on every area of his life, from speculation over his paternity to snide allusions to his lack of academic promise. From the moment photographers snap Prince Harry viewing tributes to his mother the day after her death, Spare conveys the stressful sensation of being under constant public scrutiny.

Prince Harry emphasizes the amoral tactics of the press as they pursue headlines. He illustrates how some stories (such as his drug use) are based on rumor, while others (e.g., the “gold-plated” portaloos supposedly hired for his wedding) are completely fabricated. For Prince Harry, the circumstances of his mother’s death, when paparazzi chased Princess Diana and took photographs of her dying, exemplify the media’s ruthless aggression. It’s also embodied in Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, which uses misinformation and intrusive practices such as illegal phone tapping. Prince Harry illustrates the devastating consequences of phone hacking by referencing the case of murdered teenager Milly Dowler. By hacking into Milly’s voicemail after her death, News of the World reporters led her parents to falsely believe that she was still alive.