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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Liam Buckler

Five bombshells from Prince Harry's ghostwriter from 2am calls to tearful reactions

Prince Harry's ghostwriter has dropped several bombshells which came about during the writing process of his memoir.

The author who helped pen 'Spare' has revealed details of what the creative process was like during the planning and writing stages with Prince Harry - which he has said range from calls at 2am, heated debates, kind gestures from Meghan Markle and meeting the royal inner circle.

J. R. Moehringer, the ghostwriter behind the best-selling book, spent countless hours with the Duke to help publish his memoir and with it he gained a new perspective, one he says which was very different from the tabloids.

Mr Moehringer said work on the memoir progressed steadily, until the press found out about it and in a series of revealing notes the author has detailed exactly just what it was like to be involved with the Royal and the initial 'weird' encounter.

Prince Harry's ghostwriter has revealed a series of bombshells during the writing of 'Spare' (Getty Images)
J.R. Moehringer (Getty Images)

Row that left Harry with 'flushed cheeks and narrowed eyes'

The Duke of Sussex's ghostwriter revealed how a row with the Prince left him feeling "exasperated."

J. R. Moehringer said the pair got into a fierce debate in the summer of 2022, two years into his role as the ghostwriter on 'Spare.'

They were reviewing Prince Harry's latest edits in a late-night Zoom session at 2am, when they came to a tricky section of the book.

Prince Harry and his ghostwriter reportedly argued more than once (Getty Images)

"My head was pounding, my jaw was clenched, and I was starting to raise my voice," he said in the The New Yorker.

"And yet some part of me was still able to step outside the situation and think, this is so weird. I’m shouting at Prince Harry.

"Then, as Harry started going back at me, as his cheeks flushed and his eyes narrowed, a more pressing thought occurred: Whoa, it could all end right here."

The section in question is when Prince Harry is captured by pretend terrorists at the end of a period of military exercises.

Prince Harry's memoir was controversial for many (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/REX/Shutterstock)

The writer explained the capture was a simulation, but, he described how the tortures inflicted in the scenario felt very real to Prince Harry.

He described how the Duke was reportedly dragged to an underground bunker where he was physically, mentally and emotionally beaten by his pretend captors.

Royal's tearful reaction over 'Spare'

J. R. Moehringer admitted it was like "telling Taylor Swift about a bad breakup" after Harry's book hit the shelves in January this year.

"It was like singing “Hallelujah” to Leonard Cohen. Harry was all heart", according to the author.

After what had been a long and emotional time together, the pair celebrated by raising a glass together before a teary-eyed Harry thanked his publishing team and editor.

"He mentioned my advice, to “trust the book,” and said he was glad that he did, because it felt incredible to have the truth out there, to feel—his voice caught—“free.”

"There were tears in his eyes. Mine, too."

The best-selling memoir smashed records (Getty Images)
Harry had a party to celebrate the launch of his book (Getty Images)

TK Maxx links to Charles in 'discredit attempt'

J. R. Moehringer said he had rigorously fact-checked every anecdote before his book was published in January this year.

But he was stunned when one chapter of his book came up for discussion - Prince Harry's revelation that he used to look forward to the yearly sales at TK Maxx, the discount clothing chain.

The author believed this to be a perfectly accurate anecdote until the store hit back at the claims, and said it "never has sales, just great savings all the time!"

The author hinted the book was trying to be discredited by the clothing chain - due to it's long standing links with King Charles and The Prince's Trust. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)

He wrote in the New Yorker: "The monarchists at TK Maxx corporate, who rushed out a statement declaring that TK Maxx never has sales, just great savings all the time! Oh, snap! Gotcha, Prince George Santos!

"Except that people around the world immediately posted screenshots of TK Maxx touting sales on its official Twitter account."

The author hinted the book was trying to be discredited by the clothing chain - due to it's long standing links with King Charles and The Prince's Trust.

"Surely TK Maxx’s effort to discredit Harry’s memoir was unrelated to the company’s long-standing partnership with Prince Charles and his charitable trust," he said.

Meghan Markle's kindness

Meghan made a kind gesture to Prince Harry's ghostwriter after he revealed he was missing his family.

J. R. Moehringer worked closely with Harry to help ghostwrite his "Spare" memoir and would spend hours over Zoom due to Covid restrictions.

He visited their home once with his wife and once with their children but also stayed at the guesthouse twice by himself.

Meghan made sure Mr Moehringer had everything he needed (Getty Images)
J.R. Moehringer (WireImage)

The Duchess of Sussex knew the author was badly missing his family and tried to make him feel better by making sure he had everything he needed for his stay.

"Harry put me up in his guesthouse, where Meghan and Archie would visit me on their afternoon walks," he said.

"Meghan, knowing I was missing my family, was forever bringing trays of food and sweets."

In addition, she also gifted his children some toys after he was away from his family.

Harry's 'belittled' bullying

Prince Harry revealed to the author that all his life "people had belittled his intellectual capabilities."

During an emotional moment between the pair, Harry was no longer talking to his ghostwriter on Zoom as he struggled to convey his feelings.

The author was unable to get anything out from Harry until he stopped, glared into the camera and exhaled.

According to Mr Moehringer, "Harry calmly explained that, all his life, people had belittled his intellectual capabilities."

However, in a bizarre move, the author tried to reassure him the memoir isn't about him.

He wrote: "I told him, everything you just said is about you. You want the world to know that you did a good job, that you were smart.

"But, strange as it may seem, memoir isn’t about you. It’s not even the story of your life.

"It’s a story carved from your life, a particular series of events chosen because they have the greatest resonance for the widest range of people, and at this point in the story those people don’t need to know anything more than that your captors said a cruel thing about your mom."

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