LONDON (AP) โ Prince Harry alleges in a much-anticipated new memoir that his brother Prince William lashed out and physically attacked him during a furious argument over the brothersโ deteriorating relationship, The Guardian reported Thursday.
The newspaper said it obtained an advance copy of the book, โSpare,โ due to be published next week.
It said Harry recounts a 2019 argument at his Kensington Palace home, in which he says William called Harryโs wife, the former actress Meghan Markle, โdifficult,โ โrudeโ and โabrasive.โ Harry claims William grabbed his brother by the collar and ripped his necklace before knocking him down, the newspaper said.
โI landed on the dogโs bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me,โ the book is quoted as saying. โI lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.โ
William later apologized, the extract says.
Neither Buckingham Palace, which represents King Charles III, nor Williamโs Kensington Palace office has commented on the claims.
The book, scheduled to be released Tuesday, is the latest in a string of public revelations and accusations by Harry and Meghan that have shaken Britainโs royal family,
Harry, 38, and the American actress married at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Less than two years later, the couple quit royal duties and moved to California, citing what they saw as the mediaโs racist treatment of Meghan, who is biracial, and a lack of support from the palace.
Since then they have presented their side of the story in an interview with Oprah Winfrey and a six-part Netflix documentary released last month, which recounted the coupleโs bruising relationship with the U.K. media and estrangement from the royal family.
In the series, Harry claimed William screamed at him during a family meeting and accused palace officials of lying to protect his elder brother, who is now heir to the throne. Meghan talked about wanting to end her life as she struggled to cope with toxic press coverage.
Harry has recorded interviews with British broadcaster ITV and CBS in the United States to promote the book. Both are due to be broadcast Sunday.
In snippets released in advance, Harry told ITV that the royal household had cast him and Meghan as โvillainsโ and โshown absolutely no willingness to reconcile.โ He told CBS that the palaceโs refusal to defend him and Meghan from attacks was a โbetrayal.โ
Palace officials have declined to comment on any of Meghan and Harryโs allegations.
The book also explains the reasons for its title, the Guardian said. It said Harry recounts the alleged words of his father to his mother, Princess Diana, on the day of his birth: โWonderful! Now youโve given me an heir and a spare โ my work is done.โ
While William was destined from birth to be king, Harry โ who is fifth in line to the throne behind his brother and William’s three children โ has often appeared to struggle with the more ambiguous role of โspare.โ He spent a decade in the British Army โ years he has described as his happiest โ before taking up full-time royal duties in 2015.
