Prince Harry’s book broke sales records… but was binned by readers leaving companies with ‘bookcases full of them’
PRINCE Harry’s book has been binned by readers – leaving companies with “bookcases full of them”.
The memoir sold 3.2million copies in its first week of publication in January — and 1.4million on its first day.
In it, the duke, 38, claims he was knocked to the ground in a row with brother William who, he says, had called Harry’s wife Meghan “rude” and “difficult”.
He was also widely mocked for revealing he applied Elizabeth Arden cream to his frostbitten todger.
And the prince wrote that he lost his virginity in an “inglorious” episode with an older woman who “smacked my rump and sent me off to graze”.
The week it was released royal fans rushed to grab a copy to get the inside scoop on Harry’s life and it topped best seller lists.
One fan told how she waited till midnight on launch night at London Victoria Railway Station to buy three copies.
But the demand soon simmered down – and now a year on its popularity has plummeted.
Within months major retailers announced they were selling the book for half price.
And during the summer the moany memoir was the most dumped book – being ditched by readers in rooms, bins and by pools at holiday hotspots.
Fed-up hotel staff returned 100 copies to tour operator On The Beach from resorts it uses in Spain, Greece and Turkey.
Zoe Harris, On The Beach chief customer officer, said: “We’ve never witnessed anything quite like it.
“Lost property offices in our most popular resorts are brimming with copies of Spare.
“We thought it was funny at first but, over the past few months, several other hotels have been sending the books back.
“Now, we have bookcases full of them. I’m asking hotels to please stop sending them over, otherwise we’ll never get rid of them all.”
It comes as a royal author claimed Meghan and Harry have “failed in Hollywood” after failing to land new income streams.
SPARE'S BIGGEST BOMBSHELLS
1. Harry’s drug use
Harry sensationally confessed to snorting cocaine several times in one particularly shocking segment of the book.
He also admits smoking cannabis at Eton and experimenting with magic mushrooms.
2. Harry’s older woman
Harry told how he lost his virginity to a horse-loving older woman — in a field behind a pub.
He said she “treated me not unlike a young stallion”, but branded his first bonk an “inglorious episode”.
3. Meghan and Kate’s ‘fight’
Harry claimed Princess Kate and Meghan Markle had a furious bust-up after the Duchess of Sussex made a comment about her sister-in-law’s hormones.
The Duke revealed that in the run up to the royal wedding in 2018, Meghan told the Princess of Wales that she must have “baby brain”.
4. Harry’s kill count
Harry revealed he killed 25 people during his time in Afghanistan.
The Duke says he is neither proud nor ashamed of “taking human lives” as it was simply his job as a solider.
5. Fight with William
Harry claims his brother “knocked him to the floor” during an argument about Meghan.
The Duke says The Prince of Wales branded Meghan “rude” and “difficult” during a row
Harry alleges William “grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and… knocked me to the floor”.
This comes after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s £18million Spotify deal was axed last year, after they produced just 13 episodes in 31 months.
Speaking to Closer, royal author Tom Bower said: “They’ve got no new income streams, no new companies – everything they’ve attempted to do to relaunch themselves I think in the end has been utterly unsuccessful and has failed.
“There’s nothing of credibility there, but they are putting a good face on it.
“They have failed in Hollywood.”
Tom added that the Duchess of Sussex is “clearly desperate” to find a new role, which explains why she has been “so silent” lately.