Prince Harry recounted an event that deeply hurt him when a news article falsely accused him of drug use and going to rehab. Feeling devastated by the false claims, Harry sought support from his brother, Prince William.
The Prince of Wales, for the first time, stood by him. Harry shared this experience in his memoir, describing the emotional impact of being misrepresented in the media.
The front page news had the headline 'Harry's Drugs Shame'. The Duke of Sussex called it "lies". The story "not only had me down as a habitual drug user, it had me recently going to rehab. Rehab!" the Daily Mirror quoted Harry as writing in her book Spare.
Harry mentioned that the editor had obtained photographs of him and Marko (Mark Dyer) visiting a rehab centre in the suburbs a few months before. He wrote that this visit was normal for his charitable duties as a prince.
However, the Duke claimed a journalist had used those photos, twisting them to support her false story. Harry, upset, shared that he was shocked when he saw the pictures and read the article. He felt disgusted and horrified, thinking about how people across the country might see the story and believe the lies.
Harry felt as if people throughout the Commonwealth were talking about him. He also shared his sadness at the thought that his father, Charles, and stepmother, Camilla, might have played a role in the story, which left him feeling betrayed by his own family.
Harry reflected on how they had allowed the situation to escalate, questioning if it was merely to make things simpler for themselves. He mentioned calling William, but neither could find the words to speak.
William was understanding and seemed to share in his frustration, sometimes even feeling more outraged than Harry due to his knowledge of the behind-the-scenes manoeuvring and manipulation that had resulted in this public display against Harry. Harry wrote that William had tried to play it down, saying the past couldn't be changed.
“And yet, in the same breath, he assured me that there was nothing to be done. This was Pa. This was Camilla. This was Royal life," Harry wrote.
