Prince Harry’s memoir doesn’t have a release date yet, is it still coming out this year?

In July 2021 we first learned of Prince Harry’s memoir. The news broke in Page Six, which claimed he had a multi-book publishing deal and that he was starting with a memoir about his life. Since then, the news has been twisted by Prince Charles and the royal machinery into “Prince Harry is writing a tell-all book in which he rips his family to shreds, especially Camilla for some reason.” It’s been a lot. Initially, the reporting indicated that the memoir would be out in late 2022, meaning (I thought) this fall. Well, now the Sunday Times has a bizarre story about how maybe, just maybe, Harry’s memoir might not be released this year.

It is hotly anticipated, with many in royal circles braced for the day it hits the bookshelves. But exactly when the Duke of Sussex will publish his “intimate and heartfelt memoir” is a mystery. Billed as “an inspiring, courageous and uplifting human story” with Prince Harry writing “not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become”, Penguin Random House announced the book with fanfare last year, with “publication tentatively scheduled for late 2022”.

But last week a spokeswoman for the publisher said it did not yet have a publication date, and would not confirm whether the book would still appear this year as planned. An approach to Harry’s spokeswoman elicited a similar response and another source said there was “some uncertainty” over the book’s publication date.

It is also understood that the Sussexes have recently parted company with their global press secretary, Toya Holness, who was appointed to the role in March last year after joining the couple’s public relations team in October 2020.

Harry, 37, is reported to have received a multimillion-pound advance for the memoir, which he is rumoured to be working on with the American ghostwriter JR Moehringer, who collaborated on Andre Agassi’s autobiography. The prince will donate the “proceeds” to charity.

A delayed publication date would probably be a relief to the royal family and courtiers, with some fearing they will come under fire in the book following the Sussexes’ soul-baring interview with Oprah Winfrey. It would also avoid overshadowing the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year and provide Harry an opportunity to give his account of attending next month’s celebrations with Meghan and their children, the first time the Sussexes will have been reunited with the royal family for more than two years.

[From The Times]

Just to keep track, the royal reporters are now self-styled experts in California geography, California water issues, the business of Hollywood, the business of streaming, the business of podcasting, small-business investing, production schedules and now, amazingly, publishing schedules. My guess is that Harry’s book will come out this year, probably as originally planned, late in the year. November or December. When the memoir was announced, we heard reports that Harry had already done a lot. It would make no sense for Harry or the publisher to push back the release date if the book is close to completed (or already completed). They would especially want it out before Christmas. It sounds more like the publisher and Harry are trying to dial down the advanced drama until it’s useful to promote the book, months from now.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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48 Responses to “Prince Harry’s memoir doesn’t have a release date yet, is it still coming out this year?”

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  1. GR says:

    I work in book publishing. If they can’t publish by October, I bet they’ll wait til after xmas.

    • EPLFan says:

      Are there general delays going on in publishing due to inflation and the supply chain issues? I have a friend who was due to have her memoir published this spring but it’s been delayed by the publisher, not her, and it sounded like the costs to print are too high so if they can wait it out they will.

  2. ThatsNotOkay says:

    Normally, fall books would have been publicized by now and marketing material sent all over so bookstores could pre-order them. But I imagine if they drop a surprise publication date on the world, people and bookstores would not be too pressed and would order up a storm regardless. Thus,, if pre-publicity is unnecessary, then it could potentially drop whenever. But I’m also pretty certain if it had been printed or even sent to the printer or even just delivered in manuscript form to the editor/publisher, we’d know about it from the same leaker who gave up the initial news.

    • Amy Bee says:

      Maybe they’re delaying promotion until after the Queen’s Jubilee. You know the press would be outraged about that. Perhaps Harry doesn’t want to deal with that nonsense at the moment.

      • Ginger says:

        That’s what I think as well. They are waiting to announce till after the Jubilee. Meghan’s book wasn’t announced until a month before it came out. Since the news leaked that Harry was writing a memoir I’m sure the publishing house is keeping everything super secret until it’s time. They are not going to tell some random rota person about the release date. These rota people think they are more important than they are.

      • Saucy&Sassy says:

        AmyBee & Ginger, that was my first thought when I read this that H was waiting until after the festivities in June. I doubt that they will need a lot of lead time once its publication date is announced. The great thing is that the publisher won’t even have to spend much (if anything) to market the book. The BM will be telling it far and wide. Social media will take of the rest!

  3. GR says:

    I work in book publishing. If they can’t publish by October, I bet they’ll wait til after xmas.

  4. Becks1 says:

    I wonder if this is about the Queen’s health, and there is something in Harry’s contract about not releasing the book a certain amount of time after her death or something like that.

    If she really is in pretty bad shape, it makes sense that Harry wouldn’t want to release his memoir right after she passes and it would explain the uncertainty around the publication date.

    but the publisher also isn’t going to sit on the memoir indefinitely so I guess we’ll see. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a November or December release.

    • Jay says:

      Oh, I hadn’t thought of that! Yeah, he might not want to deal with royal reporters saying that he’s disrespecting the memory of the Queen, or implying that the shock of his memoir being published somehow contributed to her decline.

      • Jan90067 says:

        If that’s the case, he may not be able to publish for YEARS if she lives as long as her mother!

      • Becks1 says:

        I said something similar below, but to be clear, I’m not saying that he’s going to hold off until the Queen dies and time has passed etc.

        I’m just thinking that if the Queen is in really bad shape, and his memoir is due to come out in November, Harry may have concerns about the timing if he thinks she isn’t going to be here in November.

    • Charm says:

      LOL ffs! Why are some people hvng a hard time grasping the concept of H as a free man, owing no obligation to anyone except his wife, regarding what he does wth his life!

      My gad! I thought it was only the royals who were trapped in a (gilded) cage by a stockholm-afflicted delusional bunch of subjects. But it appears tht many royal watchers hv the same problem.

      Suppose betty lives for another 10 yrs? Does anyone believe tht H “signed a contract” tht his Memoirs wdnt be released until after betty dies?

      The most I will accede to is tht H planned his Memoir release for AFTER the big jubbly in June. Thats why Random Hse said a yr ago:
      “The book is set to tentatively release in late 2022.”

      The rotarats from the entirety of the britshidtmedia are thirsty for an official update so they can write a million stories based on one official sentence or 2.

      • Becks1 says:

        Good lord @Charm, calm down. It’s not being in a gilded cage to speculate on something like this.

        to be clear, I am NOT saying that Harry is holding off on the memoir until his grandmother dies. I actually think he is more likely to publish it while she’s still living. But if the Queen is in worse shape than anyone realizes (except for family like Harry), and if Harry thinks she may pass soon (i.e. in the next 6 months), then I think having concerns about his memoir coming out in the aftermath of her death is completely reasonable.

        Remember that Harry and Meghan had a deal with Oprah/CBS about the interview, and if Philip had died before it aired, the airing of it would have been delayed. so my comment is not that crazy or a sign of being a “stockholm-afflicted delusional bunch of subjects.”

  5. HeyKay says:

    Be interesting to find out The Firm/BRF/Charles have somehow stopped the book release until after TQ passes. My money is a strong yes.

    OTOH, H&M have established their new LA life with 2 young kids.
    We all know how awful BRF can be to each other, I hope they enjoy the time with the kids.

    • MrsBanjo says:

      In what way would they have the power to stop the release of a book in another country? If there’s a delay, it’s because of an agreement between Harry and the publisher. The RF has no authority.

  6. Jay says:

    Maybe CBers in the publishing world can chime in, but to me Prince Harry’s first book coming out in that pre-xmas period seems like a license to print money, supply chain be damned.

    The only thing that *might* hold up such a hotly anticipated book is attempts by Harry’s family and their circle to try to challenge or add comments, as they are used to doing with other royal books that come out. Or withholding permission for the use of photos, that kind of thing. Of course, that makes me want to read it more!

  7. Amy Bee says:

    When the book actually comes is not important but the British press wants it to be a story. In fact they don’t want it to come out at all. I’m going to buy it whenever it comes out.

  8. Eurydice says:

    So much has been rethought, rearranged, rescheduled because of covid. My tin foil tiara is wondering if they’re not waiting to see how goes the Jubbly. If there’s some kind of rapprochement with the RF, that would be an interesting thing to include in the memoir.

  9. Rapunzel says:

    November/December is the best time for this anyhow. Christmas gift time is the best time for celeb books. Think MObama’s memoir, Becoming.

  10. Susan says:

    I’m going to get some hate for this, but I worry that the BRF (via Petty Betty’s poor old innocent me act) have manipulated Harry into delaying/changing the book…and the reason I say this I would have never ever thought H&m would come to the Jubbly. Which makes me think there has been some thawing of familial relationships over the past few weeks/months? And yes, I know from a gossip perspective its all good and fun but as a human that relates far too much to Harry and his relationship with his dysfunctional family, I wish he’d keep his distance from these A holes.

    • Ginger says:

      Harry was paid a pretty hefty advance for his book. And that means he has to deliver a book within a certain time. If he doesn’t he has to pay that advance back. There is no word on him paying the advance back. I think some are giving the RF way too much influence on his book. The deal is between Harry and the publishing house not the RF

      • kirk says:

        The hefty advance to Prince Harry was $20M according to some news reports, but how would they know? His ghostwriter JR Moehringer supposedly also got a $1M advance. This sounds like a non-story to me, just a way for the Times to profit off book they don’t have a piece of.

    • GuestWo says:

      Interesting theory and certainly possible, but I honestly don’t think the book has that much to do with the RF and all to do with Harry’s journey through losing his mom, finding his place in the army and then understanding his mental health challenges and dealing with them. So, even if there were thawing within this dysfunctional group of dorks, there probably isn’t any reason to make changes to the book.

      I wish he’d keep his distance too – it gives me agita thinking of them being anywhere near the RF – but I’m guessing that once the Jubbly is over they will keep their distance until the Queen’s funeral. After that…I think he’s done.

      • BothSidesNow says:

        Yes, once TQ passes, they will be lucky if they are ever face to face with Harry and Meghan again. They will not attend Charles’s coronation, though probably Harry will be present for his funeral. Once Charles has passed, Harry and Meghan will never reach out to the rest of this vile bunch, with the complete exception of Beatrice and Jack. Any travels to Britain will be for their charities alone. Harry, and Meghan, have a deep love and respect for TQ, but everyone else are emotionally inept regarding taking responsibility for their actions. Charles, Cowmilla, Willie and Waity can all f-off.

  11. Snuffles says:

    That shit’s gonna drop out of no where like Beyoncé’s Lemonade album. Print and audio done by Harry.

  12. Blithe says:

    I can see holding back on completing the book until after Harry’s upcoming visit — if only because it might change the resolution of the ending. “….continue to be estranged…” vs “fortunately, my family and I were able to spend time with the Queen, and I was able to share my first home and our family legacies with my children.” VS whatever. So it could be ready to go — except for the final chapter.

  13. Aud says:

    I also wonder if he agreed to delay the release based on the Queen’s health struggles. If she’s declining as quickly as it seems, I could see him waiting until after she passes to avoid adding stress in her final months. He’s a very kind person and loves his grandmother.

    • Charm says:

      Betty could live for another decade. What then? Should H continue to put his life on hold?

      Newsflash: he laid tht burden down officially on March 31, 2020.

      PS: meanwhile betty is doing all she can in the here-and-now to ensure tht her pedo-son’s future is secure after she goes off to the great by-and-by.

      • Aud says:

        If her health is that good, then I don’t see Harry delaying. But she seems to be going downhill fast so who knows

  14. Snuffles says:

    RE: Toya Holness

    According to her LinkedIn profile she was promoted to Head of Communications to Archewell last year.

    • Amy Bee says:

      That’s why Roya Nikkhah wrote “it is understood”. She doesn’t know, heck she didn’t know that Toya hasn’t been the global secretary for almost a year now.

      • Ginger says:

        Isn’t Roya the one that had the “exclusive” of the great grandkids doing something at a horse show? She was completely wrong on that

  15. Ace says:

    Considering how they were forced to announce the book because of the Page Six leak, I’m not surprised they are keeping quiet. I expect an announcement as close to a publication date as possible.

    I don’t think they’re going to worry very much about promotion considering there’s already the built-in one from Harry’s name, and there’s also the clowns of the RR who will churn out everything and nothing as soon as they get a whiff of a publication date.

  16. Jenna Maroney says:

    Have you all read Agassi’s book? It was so well done. Harry is in good hands with that ghostwriter!

  17. Lizzie says:

    Wasn’t the rr up in arms about Harry releasing the book in the queens jubilee year?
    Ugh, damned if he does and damned if he don’t.

  18. equality says:

    I would have doubts with sources quoted who can’t even be named even though one is supposedly a spokesperson for “the publisher”, also not named.

    • Ginger says:

      Notice they said sources for the publisher but didn’t name Harry’s publishing house which is Penguin Random House. They knew they would get in trouble if they did because no one from there spoke to Roya.

  19. JoiLuv says:

    I hope they drop it like a Beyonce album 😂

  20. Andrea says:

    Publishing is majorly borked right now due to supply chain issues–press time has to be booked 6+ months in advance and there are serious paper shortages, so any delay can be a major problem. It wouldn’t surprise me if something had happened (and it could have been anything, on either Harry’s side or the publisher’s) and they’re delaying it to a spring 2023 release.

  21. Well Wisher says:

    I hope it is not all in my mind, whenever interest of this book wanes, it is pushed to the fore-front.
    From the moment it was leaked by a particular organization, it has been used consistently as a fishing expedition.
    At first, it seemed that some of the people who covered the royal family would print any speculation to get a rise, although the head line would include Harry, he was not the intended target. It was to trigger, to manipulated and it worked.
    It has the desired effect with items from the fail to flurries in the sun;the whinge about Camila notwithstanding.
    So what is it about?
    Sales is number one focus, the last wildly successful book about the royals was “Finding Freedom” .
    The publisher was Murdoch, whose media platforms platter on and on about the Netflix deal, a clear indication of the Sussexes’ financial independence.
    So number is envy and resentment that the Sussexes cannot be pushed, they are fine without favourable coverage from the BTM.
    Most importantly the tabloid media cannot fully influence how the Sussexes are perceived.
    Lastly, shaking the pockets for loose change metaphorically – any bit of item from a triggered individual from the family.

  22. Robin Samuels says:

    Since everyone seems to know the contents of Harry’s memoir, I suppose he
    will allow the predictors to finish publishing their fanfiction before he releases the TRUTH.