Prince Harry's Spare becomes UK's fastest-selling non-fiction book on record

Despite a number of leaks in the lead-up to its UK release, the book sold 467,183 copies in its first week

Copies of Prince Harry's new book Spare are displayed at a bookshop in London. EPA

The Duke of Sussex's memoir has become the fastest-selling non-fiction book in the UK since records began in 1998.

Prince Harry’s headline-grabbing autobiography Spare, released on January 10, sold 467,183 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen BookData, which collects and provides information on book distribution and sales measurements.

The memoir includes claims that the Prince of Wales physically attacked Prince Harry and teased him about his panic attacks, and that King Charles III put his own interests above his son’s and was jealous of the Duchess of Sussex and the Princess of Wales.

The data released by Nielsen shows that the book has broken the previous record of 210,506 set by the first Pinch Of Nom cookbook — written by Kay Allinson — in 2019.

The Nielsen BookData does not include e-books or audiobooks and refers only to the sale of physical copies.

Spare, which was ghostwritten by JR Moehringer, is the only non-fiction book to make it into the top 10 fastest-selling books in the UK since records began.

Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex through the years — in pictures

Doria Ragland, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Awards in New York City. Getty

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies in Los Angeles in April. Getty

The royal couple speak onstage at the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala in New York in December 2022. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan watch as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is placed into the hearse following the state funeral service at Westminster Abbey in central London in September 2022. AP

Prince Harry and Meghan pay their respects at the Palace of Westminster. Getty

Prince Harry, Meghan and Kate, Princess of Wales, attend a service for the reception of Queen Elizabeth's coffin at Westminster Hall. AFP

The Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince Harry and Meghan meet members of the public outside Windsor Castle. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan leave after a service of thanksgiving for the queen. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York in September 2021. AP

Prince Harry and Meghan on the cover of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world edition, in September 2021. Reuters

Prince Harry and Meghan are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in March 2021. Reuters

Prince Harry and Meghan shared this image on social media in February 2021 to announce they were expecting their second child. AFP

Prince Harry and Meghan visit Canada House, London, in January 2020. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan visit Auwal Mosque on Heritage Day during their royal tour of South Africa in September 2019. Getty

Prince Harry, Meghan and their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor in South Africa in September 2019. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan meet Beyonce Knowles-Carter and Jay-Z at the European Premiere of Disney's The Lion King at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, London, in July 2019. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan pose for a photo with the New York Yankees before their baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at London Stadium in June 2019. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan pose with their newborn son Archie in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle in May 2019. Getty

Meghan, joined by her mother Ms Ragland, shows her new son to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle in May 2019. AP

Prince Harry and Meghan officially open Number 7, a Feeding Birkenhead citizen’s supermarket and community cafe in Merseyside in January 2019. Getty

Prince William, the Princess of Wales, Meghan and Prince Harry attend a Christmas Day church service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate in December 2018. Getty

Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan and the Duchess of Cambridge attend a service marking the centenary of the First World War armistice at Westminster Abbey in November 2018. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan visit Redwoods Tree Walk in October 2018 in Rotorua, New Zealand. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan visit an exhibition of Tongan handicrafts at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre in October 2018 in Nuku'alofa, Tonga. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan visit the University of the South Pacific in October 2018 in Suva, Fiji. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan address the public during a Community Event at Victoria Park in October 2018 in Dubbo, Australia. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan meet a koala during a visit to Taronga Zoo in October 2018 in Sydney, Australia. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan arrive at the University of Chichester's Engineering and Digital Technology Park during an official visit to West Sussex in October 2018. Getty

The queen, Meghan, Prince Harry, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF 100th anniversary fly-past from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in July 2018. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan on their wedding day in May 2018. Getty

Prince Harry places a wedding ring on his new wife's finger. Getty

Meghan and Prince Harry head to their evening wedding reception at Frogmore House. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan walk through the corridors of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on their way to a reception for young people at the Palace in February 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Getty

Prince Harry and his then-fiancee Meghan visit Nottingham for their first official public engagement together in December 2017. Getty

Since January 1998, JK Rowling has dominated the chart, with four of her Harry Potter novels sitting at the top, while Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol claims the fifth spot before Spare at number six.

To claim number one on the chart, which looks at the first week of sales only, Rowling’s Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows sold 2.63 million copies in its first week in 2007.

Despite the memoir hitting shelves in Spain before the official publication date, and a number of extracts leaking in the lead-up to the book’s UK release, Nielsen’s data suggest sales were not negatively affected.

Prince Harry's book is released — in pictures

The first copies of Prince Harry's new book Spare are unpacked during a midnight sale at a book shop in London. EPA

After months of anticipation and a sustained publicity blitz, Prince Harry's book is on sale in the UK. AFP

Photographers surround a trolley containing copies of Spare. PA

Caroline Lennon, the first customer to purchase a copy of Spare, poses for photographers at Waterstones in Piccadilly, London. PA

There is no mention of royal family members in the foreword to Spare. AP

The book reveals that Prince Harry took cocaine and magic mushrooms. Reuters

Spare also lifts the lid on the prince's relationships with the royal family. EPA

The book contains allegations of racism within the royal family and accounts of a fight with Prince William. AFP

In a US broadcast promoting the work, Prince Harry branded the Duchess of Cornwall the “villain” and “dangerous”, accusing her of rehabilitating her image at the expense of his.

As the duke continued a run of high-profile promotional interviews, he said he “would like nothing more” than for his children to have relationships with the royal family.

Prince Harry's ghostwriter JR Moehringer — in pictures

JR Moehringer is the US writer, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and novelist who ghostwrote Prince Harry's memoir, Spare. Getty

Spare was released globally on January 10

Moehringer moved to Las Vegas to work on tennis star Andre Agassi's memoir

Moehringer said he turned Agassi down several times before agreeing to work with him on Open. Getty / AFP

Moehringer worked with Nike creator Phil Knight on his best-selling memoir, Shoe Dog

Moehringer's own memoir about his childhood growing up on Long Island is called The Tender Bar, which was made into a film

George Clooney directed the Hollywood version of Moerhinger's memoir The Tender Bar. Ben Affleck starred in it as Uncle Charlie. AFP

Moehringer with actor Daniel Ranieri, who played his younger self in the fictionalised film version of his memoir. AP

From left, Affleck, Lily Rabe, Daniel, Tye Sheridan and Christopher Lloyd arrive at the premiere of The Tender Bar in Los Angeles. AP

Rabe and Affleck played a fictionalised version of Moehringer's mother and uncle in The Tender Bar. AP

Daniel and Affleck in a scene from The Tender Bar. AP

His remarks about his son and daughter came despite the criticism he has levelled at his brother Prince William, father King Charles and stepmother Camilla.

He also described his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, as his “guardian angel” and said she is with him “all the time”.