Duke of Sussex accused of letting ‘Spare’ identity dominate his life and career
Prince Harry has long struggled with his place in the royal family, and royal experts claim that Prince William’s power as heir to the throne played a significant role in shaping his emotional turmoil.
From an early age, Harry reportedly understood that his role was not to lead but to support — a reality that left him feeling sidelined and undervalued. The Duke of Sussex reflected on this himself in his memoir Spare, writing: “I was the shadow, the support, the Plan B. I was brought into the world in case something happened to Willy… a spare part. Kidney, perhaps. Blood transfusion. Speck of bone marrow.”
Royal commentator Ingrid Seward believes this lifelong awareness of being second to William “seemed to take a massive toll on Harry.” She claims Harry allowed the “Spare” label to define him, to the point where it now fuels much of his public identity and work.
“He chooses to be the victim and wreak vengeance on the slights he thought he had suffered — on his family, on the press and through the courts,” Seward told the Daily Mail.
The emotional weight of always being “second fiddle” to his brother is now being cited as one of the driving forces behind Harry’s departure from royal life — and the foundation of his ongoing public narrative.
