In 2020, Prins Harry made a drastic decision that changed not only his own life, but also the foundations of the British royal family forever. He chose to retire as an active member of the royal family, due to a long-standing personal struggle with his role within the monarchy. In his candid autobiography, entitled ‘Spare’, Prince Harry takes us on a journey through his life, both behind and in front of the palace walls. The book sheds light on the many challenges, intense media attention and profound identity crisis he has struggled with, and shows a different perspective on royal life than that normally shown publicly.

“Harry was born into the spotlight of the global media and was known as a prince, but his personal identity was far more complex and fragmented than anything the world has ever seen.”

In his book, he reveals the origins of his nickname ‘Spike’, which he earned during a gap year in Australia in 2003.

Throughout the year, he hid his true identity and worked undercover as a ‘jackaroo’ on the remote farm called Tooloombilla Station.

His short spiky haircut and changing his accent to better fit into the local culture led to the creation of this special nickname.

These nicknames, which included Haz, Baz and Scrawny, were coined by friends and palace staff alike and functioned as a source of individuality and a momentary escape from his royal identity.

Prince Harry describes the multitude of names assigned to him as a complex hall of mirrors, in which his authentic identity was increasingly obscured by the entanglement of his public and private personas.