J.R. Moehringer, the ghostwriter of Prince Harry's memoir, has penned an essay for The New Yorker recounting his close relationship with the Duke of Sussex over a two-year period. In their collaboration on the book 'Spare,' they discussed an array of topics, including a brutal military exercise that took place during Harry's training in England and what Moehringer refers to as the "central tragedy" of Prince Harry's life.
According to Moehringer, he and Prince Harry were able to work through any issues that arose due to their strong bond. "Harry and I realized we had much more in common than expected," says Moehringer, adding that their shared experiences with media intrusion helped build this connection.
The pair initially met via Zoom during the pandemic before exchanging text messages around-the-clock once travel restrictions eased up. Throughout their time working together on 'Spare', which took over two years to complete, both men experienced firsthand how difficult it is dealing with paparazzi and reporters invading one's privacy.
Moehringer recalls being swept up in chaos when photographers began intruding into his personal life shortly after agreeing to collaborate with Prince Harry on his memoir: “I never expected my own privacy would be invaded so aggressively,” he wrote in The New Yorker essay.
In addition to discussing these challenges faced by both individuals involved in creating Spare, Moehringer reveals instances where he pushed back against certain requests from Prince Harry - such as including a comeback made by the royal during a simulated kidnapping exercise within his military training.
Despite these minor disagreements throughout their partnership, it appears that J.R. Moehringser and Prince Harry have come out stronger because of them; resulting not only in strengthened bonds but also a bestselling nonfiction book – ‘The Tender Bar.’ As for its success? That remains clear; proving just how powerful a story can be when told through the lens of two individuals who have shared in each other's struggles and triumphs.