Bad Blood Brothers

"Crisis for royal family." "Harry spills his secrets." "You sold your soul Harry." These are just a few of the headlines that plastered the front pages of Britain's daily papers this weekend. The newspapers have been whipped into a frenzy by the salaciousScandalous or shocking. details of Prince Harry's explosive biography, Spare.

Among the most attention-grabbing claims are: i) allegations of a physical attack by Prince William on his brother; ii) claims that members of the royal family leaked and planted negative stories about Harry's wife Meghan MarkleAn American actress and the wife of Prince Harry. Also known as the Duchess of Sussex. ; iii) statements suggesting that William described Meghan as "rude" and "abrasive"; iv) assertions that William encouraged Harry to wear a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party.

The testimony does not just concern the relationship between the two brothers though. The book claims that King Charles III, then Prince Charles, did not hug Harry after the death of Princess DianaThe first wife of Britain's King Charles III and the mother of Princes William and Harry, who died in a car crash in 1997. . Later, Harry claims, he and his brother urged their father not to marry again.

In the past Prince Harry has asked for privacy for himself and his family. He has been scathingHarshly critical. when discussing the media. "Sadly [the British press] conflate profit with purpose and news with entertainment," he declared in 2021. Now, after revealing details of his family's private life, he is facing accusations of hypocrisy.

Does his candourHonesty and openness. now mean that he has forfeitedGiven up as a consequence of doing something else. his right to privacy in the future? Harry would perhaps argue that after years of the papers telling his story for him, this is the chance to put the record straight. "This is his story at last," says the publisher of Spare.

And what about his revelations about his family members? Prince William is the heir to the throne of Britain. The Royal Family receive a sovereign grantThe Sovereign Grant is made up of 25% of the profits of the Crown Estate. It funds the official duties of the monarch, and other members of the royal family who represent them. from the British government each year, worth as much as £80m. This money is used to pay royal employees, presumably including the communications team that Harry accuses of planting stories to discredit him.

Supporters say Prince Harry is finally telling his side of the story, and that his allegations are in the public interest. Critics argue he is simply scoring points in a toxic family feud.

King Charles has apparently pleaded with his sons to stop fighting, asking them to not make his final years a misery. Now, some say they should listen to the words of their grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II: "It has always been easy to hate and destroy. To build and to cherish is much more difficult."

Yes: The Royal Family receive considerable income from the British tax payer, represent the country and are seen by many as role models. This means the public has the right to know about any wrongdoing.

No: What happens in private should stay in private. All families have their issues - airing them in public is not the way to solve them.

Or... All public figures should expect a certain degree of attention from the media but they are also entitled to a private life. Journalists and public figures themselves need to carefully decide if what they are telling the press is in the public interest.