Prince Harry the latest royal to be hit by curse of the 'spare' to the heir

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, wave as they visit One World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., September 23, 2021. – Photo: Reuters

Prince Harry's decision to call his autobiography Spare is a pointed reference to the brutal reality of a life defined by royal hierarchy – an issue that has often plunged the family into crisis.

History has shown that the so-called "spare" to the heir to the throne, unburdened from the weight and expectation of leadership but always in its shadow, can become a loose cannon.