Stephanie VonTrapp

I feel the intended audience for whom this book was written is the public who are genuinely interested in how life has been for Prince Harry. This book is not intended for those who are seeking validation of their pre-conceived notions of the royal family or consummate consumers of tabloid fodder. There are awkward anecdotes he stumbles through, over-sharing of familial conversations, and, perhaps, ill-advised disclosures of his military career details (all of which were covered in the press immediately following its release). The book is anti-climactic and anti-press. Harry describes his life as haunted by the untimely death of his Mother and emotionally distressed by the press and the impossibility of privacy. The dysfunction of the Royal Family and it’s interdependence with the press essentially is the unintended antagonist in this story. Ultimately, the book does a great job of conveying why he felt he needed to step back from royal life. It also clearly outlines why he is unapologetic in being so public with his story. Critics will attack the Prince for be immature, spoiled, and disclosing too much, all things he acknowledges in the book. Critics will also attack his wife as some sort of catalyst for the royal fallout rather than recognizing the terror of racism and vitriol had risen to a point beyond toleration. All of these critics will only serve to illuminate why he felt he needed to write this book in the first place. I fully expect the Royal response will continue to be “Never complain; Never Explain.”