The palace are apparently none too happy about the book's timing.
When it was announced last year that Prince Harry is writing a memoir on growing up royal, it's fair to say that royal fans (read: us) were significantly more excited about it than the Royal Family itself.
Announced just months after Harry and Meghan's tell-all Oprah interview, news of the book is thought to have caused tensions in 'The Fold', with a number of family members said to be worried about how they will be portrayed.
Indeed, when contacted by People for comment following news of the book's release, Buckingham Palace issued a rather frosty response, declining to say anything further than, "Any clarification about the book would be a question for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex." Yikes.
Now, royal insiders have shed some light on why Harry's family are none too pleased about him becoming a first-time author, with Grant Harrold, who served as the royal butler for seven years, expressing his concern over the book's release date.
Slated to hit shelves in late 2022, the butler pointed out that "it's not the best timing" for Harry to be releasing a controversial book, as it coincides with the Queen's much-anticipated Platinum Jubilee.
"I’m sure we all knew this celebration was coming up... So it does seem really strange timing and I would have thought that maybe they would have delayed it personally," Harrold told the Express.
It was announced last week that the Queen is set to mark 70 years on the throne with some pretty epic plans, including a four-night party with a star-studded guest list. (And of course, that extra Bank Holiday we've all been harping on about for months.)
But, claims Harrold, Harry's book threatens to "overshadow" Her Majesty's plans by taking press attention away from the jubilee celebrations.
"I'm hoping that it's going to be a nice memoir, but if it's not, one of the biggest problems is that it could overshadow it, because, even if you don't read it and a lot of people say they won't read it, there will be a lot of people who will read it... It'll be covered in the press, bits pulled out... it’ll be discussed and it could potentially be all about the same time," he said.
Interesting.
Harry's book, for which a title is yet to be announced, will reportedly cover everything from his childhood, through his years in the army, to his move away from royal life.
"I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become," the prince said via his publisher, Penguin Random House, earlier this year. "I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story – the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned – I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think."
Well, that's exciting. Even though the royals aren't exactly thrilled about it, we certainly can't wait to read.
