A PR expert has revealed the success of marketing tactics behind Prince Harry’s new release of his bombshell memoir, Spare, in paperback edition, which hits the shelves in the UK today (October 24).
Spare ruffled feathers after the hardback release in January 2023. The book specifically detailed Harry’s rifts with the Royal Family, mainly King Charles and his older brother Prince William, including his decision to leave his senior role and part ways with the Firm, alongside his wife, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex.
Prince Harry has decided not to update content, remove or amend any pages in the new paperback edition of the international bestseller.
PR expert and founder of No Strings Public Relations, Riley Gardiner, exclusively told Express.co.uk the release is a “savvy strategy”.
He said: “Releasing Prince Harry’s Spare in paperback without new content is a savvy strategy to spark renewed interest and reach readers who may have opted for a more affordable option over the hardback. The typical year-and-a-half gap between the hardback and paperback editions is a common practice.”
Riley explained how the delay in releasing the paperback version was considered normal and revealed how re-releasing the contents will “keep the narrative alive”.
He said: “The success of a book’s marketing hinges on keeping its narrative alive in public discussions. Reintroducing Spare means all those conversations we had about its content when it first came out are going to be revived and the world will be talking about Harry yet again.”
The expert added: “Publishers often utilise this time to maximise initial profits from hardcover sales, by targeting avid readers before expanding their reach with the paperback.
“This patient approach still holds value in our digital age, particularly for impactful titles like this one. The goal is to create staggered market engagement.”
Meanwhile, the timing of the release has also raised eyebrows, as the new edition of Spare will hit the shelves at the same time the Duke of Sussex’s father, King Charles, is on tour in Australia and Samoa, the first main international trip since the monarch disclosed his cancer diagnosis.
Some royal commentators fear the release of Harry’s book, which broke the Guinness World Record for being the fastest-selling work of fiction, will distract from the royal tour.
Harry’s 410-page memoir was an immediate hit in 2023, with the book’s publisher Penguin Random House stating: “The first full day of sales of Spare represents the largest first-day sales total for any nonfiction book ever published by Penguin Random House, the world’s largest trade publisher.”
Spare went on sale in 16 languages worldwide.
