According to his upcoming tell-all autobiography, Prince Harry was grabbed by the collar and thrown to the ground by his brother William as the two had a heated argument about his wife Meghan Markle.
In an extraordinary excerpt from his new book “Spare,” Harry pens what he describes as a physical attack, which he claims left him with visible injuries.
The fight allegedly broke out in his London home in 2019, during which time William reportedly branded Markle as “difficult,” “rude,” and “abrasive.”
Harry accused his brother of “parroting the press narrative” about his wife, leading to a screaming match which culminated in a physical altercation.
The extract was published by The Guardian, though it is currently unclear how the publication obtained an early copy of the book, given the lengths publisher Penguin Random House has gone to attempt to prevent leaks.
Sources had previously said details of Harry’s “explosive” memoir and its release were being closely guarded and managed in minute detail with only a handful of senior executives aware of the specifics.
In the dramatic excerpt, Harry writes that William “grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and … knocked me to the floor,” claiming that he was left with a visible injury to his back.
Harry claimed the brothers had met to discuss “the whole rolling catastrophe” of their relationship and press difficulties. However, William allegedly arrived to Nottingham Cottage “piping hot.”
The Duke had been living in the home, situated in the grounds of Kensington Palace, at the time of the alleged incident.
They began arguing about Meghan, leading to Harry stating that William was not being rational, escalating to a shouting match.
Harry wrote that he told his brother he was unable to understand why he was not happy with being “the spare,” accusing him of acting like an heir.
William told him he was trying to help him, to which Harry replied, “Are you serious? Help me? Sorry – is that what you call this? Helping me?”
That comment allegedly infuriated William, causing him to swear while stepping toward him. Harry said he was scared, retreating to the kitchen while William followed.
He claims he gave William a glass of water, saying “Willy, I can’t speak to you when you’re like this.”
“He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor,” Harry wrote. “I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.”
William allegedly told his brother to hit him back, but Harry writes that he refused to retaliate, and William left before returning, “looking regretful” and apologizing.
When William left for the final time, Harry claims he “turned and called back: ‘You don’t need to tell Meg about this.’”
Harry says he responded, saying, “You mean that you attacked me?” to which William reportedly responded, “I didn’t attack you, Harold.”
Harry claims he initially didn’t tell Meghan of the fight, phoning his therapist first. However, he says that he informed Meghan when she noticed “scrapes and bruises” on his back, adding that she “wasn’t that surprised, and wasn’t all that angry,” but that she was “terribly sad.”
The dramatic excerpt is expected to increase the already massive surge in sales the book has garnered, reaching Number 2 on Amazon’s best-seller list in presales in North America and the U.K.
The Duke of Sussex is expected to double down on his attacks against the royal family in “Spare,” set to be released early next week.
Scroll down to leave a comment and share your thoughts.