There are few things the British media loves more than a royal drama.
With his memoir Spare, Prince Harry has given the members of what used to be known as Fleet Street a deluge of material to fill their newspapers, websites and TV screens.
Friday's front pages lay out the highlights after a handful of copies, mostly in Spanish, were grasped by correspondents and pored over in detail. Fighting with his brother makes for fascinating reading but it seems doubtful that it will do anything to help Harry's cause — other than boost his bank balance.
As is the way with British newspapers, they do not stick to just facts and reportage, but frequently editorialise in their tone. It was perfectly clear which papers were truly appalled by the prince's revelations and which were simply loving a new scandal.
The Daily Telegraph, which has an older readership and is staunchly royalist, focuses on Prince Harry and his brother Prince William's feelings towards their father's second wife, Queen Consort Camilla. In his book, the prince writes that they were willing to accept their relationship but “begged” their father, the Prince of Wales at the time, not to marry Camilla, fearing she would become a “wicked stepmother”.
Prince William and Prince Harry through the years — in pictures
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Prince William and Prince Harry join Queen Elizabeth II's funeral procession towards St George's Chapel in September 2022 in Windsor. Getty Images -
The royal brothers attend a vigil in honour of the queen at Westminster Hall, central London. Getty Images -
Prince William, his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, at Westminster Hall as the queen's coffin is carried in. Getty Images -
The princes and their wives on the Long Walk at Windsor Castle, heading to meet mourners who had gathered and left tributes to Queen Elizabeth. Getty Images -
Prince William and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, in July 2021. Getty Images -
The princes at the ceremonial procession during the funeral of Prince Philip at Windsor Castle in April 2021. Getty Images -
The princes are joined by their wives for a Commonwealth Day service in March 2020 in London. Getty Images -
(L-R) Prince William, Sir David Attenborough, Prince Charles — now king — and Prince Harry attend the world premiere of Our Planet at London's Natural History Museum in April 2019. Getty Images -
The princes and their wives leave a Christmas Day service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Sandringham, in December 2018. Getty Images -
Prince William and Prince Harry attend the opening of the Greenhouse Sports Centre in 2018 in London. Getty Images -
Prince William and Prince Harry watch the RAF 100th anniversary flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace alongside the queen, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Getty Images -
Prince William, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry attend an Anzac Day service at Westminster Abbey in 2018. Getty Images -
Prince Harry with his best man, Prince William, as they wait for the start of his wedding ceremony to Meghan in 2018. Getty Images -
The princes race against each other at a London Marathon training day at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2017. Getty Images -
The princes try out light sabres during a tour of the Star Wars sets at Pinewood studio, London, in 2016. Getty Images -
Prince Harry, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince William raise their wands on the set used to depict Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films. Getty Images -
The princes take part in the late queen's diamond jubilee celebrations at Buckingham Palace in 2012. Getty Images -
Prince Harry, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince William wave from the royal barge Spirit of Chartwell in 2012. Getty Images -
Prince William takes the hand of his bride Kate, followed by Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton as they walk down the aisle of Westminster Abbey in 2011. Getty Images -
The princes chat before the wedding in 2011. Getty Images -
The princes pose with David Beckham at an FA reception in Johannesburg, South Africa. Getty Images -
The princes on a visit to a classroom lit by oil lamps in Semongkong, Lesotho, in 2010. Getty Images -
The princes celebrate a try during the 2007 Rugby World Cup final between England and South Africa in 2007. Getty Images -
The princes pose for an official photograph for the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla in 2005. Getty Images -
The princes follow the coffin of their grandmother and Princess Diana's mother, Frances Shand Kydd, in 2004. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth waves to the crowd from the balcony of Buckingham Palace as Prince Harry and Prince William look on after attending the Trooping of the Colour ceremony in 2003. Getty Images -
Prince Charles and his sons William and Harry appear at a photo call in the Swiss village of Klosters at the start of his annual skiing holiday in 2002. Getty Images -
Princes William and Harry appear with the Queen Mother during celebrations to mark her 101st birthday in 2001. Getty Images -
Prince Philip, Prince William, Earl Spencer, Prince Harry and Prince Charles follow the coffin of Princess Diana in September 1997. Getty Images -
Prince William and Prince Harry pose with Princess Diana and Prince Charles on Prince William's first day at Eton College in 1995. Getty Images -
Princess Diana with the young princes at the piano in Kensington Palace in 1985. Getty Images -
Prince Charles and Princess Diana with their sons aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in Venice in 1985. Getty Images
The Daily Mail leaves no room for doubt that it is unimpressed with his revelations. The paper has been caught up in a long-running legal battle with the Sussexes and has been the most outspoken in its dislike of Harry and Meghan's opinions or decision to leave the UK.
It starts its 17-page “truth bomb special” by screaming “Oh Spare us!” as its splash headline, referring to the “millions who will groan” at his hypocrisy. It highlights columnist Jan Moir's opinion that the prince is a “grudge-toting manbaby” and uses a picture of the prince in Afghanistan with the headline “Astonishment as he declares: I killed 25 Taliban fighters'. Inside, its royal editor Rebecca English suggests readers should “let this sink in”, as the prince had “stooped to revealing a private remark from his grieving father at Prince Philip's funeral”, a reference to King Charles pleading with the siblings to call a truce and not make his final years a misery.
The Express, another royalist publication with its feet firmly in the Team Charles camp, asks how the prince's desire for reconciliation can happen, saying “you sold your soul, Harry”.
While other publications might not show quite so much vitriol, they do have blanket coverage.
The Times described the most devastating royal revelations for more than a generation, while the Mirror declared “It's all over now”, with a picture of the brothers as children.
With “Put your dukes up”, The Star focused on the altercation between the brothers in the kitchen at Kensington Palace, while The Sun honed in on the prince's admission that he took cocaine and anger at his claims he killed 25 Taliban while serving in Afghanistan.
The Guardian, which usually likes to steer clear of royal events, had set the ball rolling by being the first to get hold of a copy of the book. It used its front page picture to point out Harry's accusation: “William attacked me”.
The BBC and Sky News were equally enthralled, providing rolling coverage and live blogging events. At one point, Sky's main news was “Sky News has obtained a copy of Spare” as it dashed to publish paragraphs. They also lined up a number of mental health workers to suggest the prince is still traumatised by his mother's death, and that treatment so far has failed to deal with it successfully.
Being seen to be believed, as the late Queen Elizabeth II used to say, means it is important for the royal family to stay in the headlines, but having its dirty laundry aired in public in this way is a PR nightmare.
There is no doubt the royal family will be hurt by the allegations and concerned at the damage the claims are doing to its reputation.
But Prince William having a punch-up with his brother may even endear some people to him more as they might see him standing up for the monarchy.
Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex through the years — in pictures
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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
From the allegations which have been published so far, it is Prince Harry himself who risks the most damage.
There is a genuine concern that by revealing his “kill list” of 25 during his time in Afghanistan he has broken a soldier code, undone the good feelings many in the UK had towards him for fighting for his country, and caused potential consequences for the military.
While some, particularly those of a younger generation, may believe it is his right to tell “his truth” and believe he has been treated harshly by a family focused on succession, others may find his sharing of personal details around his sex life and drug-taking unnecessary.
The hashtag “shutupharry” was trending on Twitter at one point.
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth in September, the royal family's position as a bedrock of life in Britain is no longer quite as secure as it was once. King Charles no doubt wishes his second son would put family first and keep his thoughts out of print.
However, as agonising as it must be for the Windsors to be dragged through the mud in this fashion, there is no new incendiary accusation such as racism that could do real damage.
The prince has continued to churn out his mantra that his own family has treated him unfairly but there is little to change the minds of those who have already decided if they are pro or anti Harry.
