The Times of London has released a new report claiming that Harry was desperate to avoid becoming his uncle. It has been dubbed his “Prince Andrew Complex.” Well, it could be said that he’s achieved and exceeded his goal. But instead of eventually becoming a more obscure member of the royal family, he’s single handedly attempting to destroy it with his wife.

It’s unlikely that he’ll succeed, and in fact he may destroy himself in the process. 

He soon will be seen by the world not as the irrelevant spare, like his uncle Prince Andrew, but as a global laughingstock and a worldwide joke.

Per Roya Nikkhah, The Times royal editor, Harry was anxious to make his mark before interest switched from him to his nephews and niece. 

Nikkhah wrote, “Harry, then 31 and one of the most popular royals, seemed aware of his sell-by date. ‘There’s nothing worse than going through a period in your life where you’re making a massive difference and then suddenly … you drop off. You want to make a difference but no one’s listening to you.’”

Harry’s right, the role of the spare does have an expiration date when it comes to the public’s attention. 

This has happened in Sweden, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Belgium and a host of other countries for centuries. The spare may have the attention while he or she is young, but the focus soon switches to the heir and his or her family. Spares each define themselves in different and unique ways, some better than others.

Prince Andrew and Infanta Cristina of Spain have both been accused of engaging with, either peripherally or directly, in criminal activity. When it comes to Andrew, he’s of course mired in the Jeffery Epstein scandal and has refused FBI requests for an interview. Infanta Cristina’s husband has spent time in prison for embezzlement. 

Being the spare isn’t easy, but others have managed to navigate being second tier pretty well. 

Take Princess Anne, who’s been relegated from second in line to the throne to fifteenth, has navigated her role with grace and dignity. She is a stalwart of the British monarchy, and a great support to her mother, owning the title The Princess Royal, a title that Princess Charlotte will one day inherit. 

It’s all in how you manage the challenge of being second best by chance.

Harry’s decided that in order to make an “impact,” he’s going to try and destroy his entire family in the process. 

Nikkhah reports, “There is little hope in royal circles that will happen. The Sussexes’ recent outbursts have driven once-loyal aides to despair. ‘I fear they may sail into the sunset now, convinced they did the right thing by speaking ‘their truth’,’ says one. ‘Now I hope everyone shuts the f*** up.’”

So does the rest of the world. Harry is doing himself no favors by writing this book. He’s actually shown himself as a man who is jealous of eight, six and three-year-old children, his own niece and nephews.

Yes, Harry and Meghan, you are the spares. It sucks, you’re not as important to the future of the monarchy. But sometimes, life sucks. Get a helmet.

If you had accepted that, you could have had the world eating out of your hand like you did. But you followed your wife’s direction, which is attempting to blow up everything in order to keep the public’s attention. It’s a bold and rather stupid move, but Harry and Meghan are full of those lately.

Picture from Daily Soap Dish.