Pictures put Prince Harry in Switzerland as Queen Mother died – NOT Eton as he recalls
The reliability of Prince Harry’s memoir has been questioned after it was revealed that “facts” about how he learned of the Queen Mother’s death may not be accurate.
In his book Spare, the Duke of Sussex wrote in meticulous detail about the call he received at Eton, telling him that his great-grandmother had died on March 30, 2002.
He writes: “While studying at Eton, I answered the phone. I wish I could remember whose voice was on the other end; a courtier, I believe. I remember it was just before Easter, the weather was bright and warm, and light slanted through my window, filled with vibrant colors.’
But resurfaced photos appear to place the prince in Klosters, Switzerland, the weekend the Queen Mother died.
Harry posed alongside his brother William and father Charles in a media briefing on March 29 after recently shaking off a bout of glandular fever to hit the slopes in time.
Resurfaced photos appear to place the prince in Klosters, Switzerland, the weekend the Queen Mother died
Harry posed alongside his brother William and father Charles in a media briefing on March 29 after recently shaking off a bout of glandular fever to hit the slopes in time
The trio leaned against a rock, laughed together and even wrapped their arms around each other in the pictures
It was his first public appearance after admitting to smoking cannabis and underage drinking, the BBC reported at the time.
Prince Harry reportedly told the assembled crowd he was on medical orders to be “relaxed” on the slopes and appeared jovial.
The trio leaned against a rock, laughed together and even wrapped their arms around each other in the pictures.
Three friends from Eton are said to have accompanied the boys on the journey.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline: “The evidence shows that he was undoubtedly at Klosters when the Queen Mother died.”
“This portrait of Eton, ‘the weather is bright and warm, the light slanted… vivid colours’, is therefore inaccurate.”
Princes William and Harry and their father Prince Charles with the Queen Mother during celebrations for her 101st birthday on August 4, 2001
Pictured: Prince William (L), his father Prince Charles (C) and Prince Harry (R) leave Northolt RAF Air Force Base in west London March 31, 2002 after reportedly cutting short their skiing holiday following the Queen Mother’s death
Prince Harry is in a car as he and his brother, Prince William, and father, Prince Charles, drive home from a ski trip in Klosters
Mr Fitzwilliams, quoting the Queen herself, noted it was possible “some memories vary” but described this as “a serious error”.
“Errors like this cast doubt on the veracity of other details. If you hire a ghostwriter and don’t check the facts properly, this can happen.
“The book is so controversial that he can’t afford to make mistakes like that. Much of the prose’s appeal lies in the descriptive passages. However, are there other inaccuracies? An error like this raises that question.’
Prince Harry’s memoirs hit shelves today
Buckingham Palace issued a statement on March 30, 2002 which read: “It is with the greatest sadness that the Queen has requested the immediate publication of the following announcement: Your beloved mother, Queen Elizabeth, died peacefully in her sleep this afternoon.
“Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, had become increasingly frail in recent weeks after suffering a bad cough and chest infection over Christmas.”
King Charles, then Prince of Wales, later that day issued a statement through his own spokesman, showing he was at least still in Klosters.
It read: “He [Charles] is devastated. His only wish is to get home as soon as possible.”
A jet carrying Charles and his two sons reportedly returned to Britain the next day after receiving special clearance from the Queen for the trio to travel together.
The apparent inconsistency has raised concerns from fans and critics alike, who have questioned whether one can trust one’s memory of the rest of the memoir.
In Spare, Harry himself admitted that his memory had suffered after his mother’s death, a problem he attributed to a defense mechanism.
Similarly, in the memoir, Harry wrote that he received an Xbox from his mother Diana in 1997 as a gift for his 13th birthday.
Copies of Harry’s memoir Spare are piled up at Foyles bookshop in London. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline that there are now legitimate concerns about Harry’s memories throughout the book
The first Xbox console wasn’t available until late 2001, raising further questions as to whether Harry might have received one a few years earlier.
But others have wholeheartedly agreed with him, noting that he was probably simply referring to a different type of gaming device, like a PlayStation first released in 1994.
The late Queen Elizabeth famously gave a scathing assessment of the Sussexes’ bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which they claimed someone in the flock had asked what color Archie’s skin might be.
Around 36 hours after the extraordinary interview, the Queen said she was “sad about the claims” but “some memories may vary”.
The phrase is now somewhat synonymous with the pair, and much of the criticism of Harry’s latest media blitz – and the memoir itself – has centered around whether the Duke of Sussex remembered the incidents accurately.
Prince William is reportedly devastated by the allegations against his family. Pictured together at the unveiling of a statue of her mother, Princess Diana in 2021
It’s unclear where Harry’s relationship with his father stands following the bombing attack, which he revealed this week.
Sources say King Charles is saddened by the saga but is unlikely to comment publicly on any of the points Harry raised.
Harry, meanwhile, has said on numerous occasions he’s open to reconciliation with his family, but there are conditions.
Speaking to ITV’s News at Ten presenter Tom Bradby, Harry said he’s open to a reconciliation and even a return to a part-royal role on the condition he can have “open” conversations with his family, which remain private would.
“I don’t know if they will see that [interview] or not, but what they have to say to me and what I have to say to them will be confidential and I hope it can stay that way,” he said, noting that he did not want “open discussions.” [to] Leak’.
The comments were called tongue-in-cheek given all the private moments Harry shared in his memoir.
Read more about Harry’s bombastic autobiography:
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