The Waleses' First Engagement of 2023 as Spare Assaults Continue

On January 11th, the little Wales children went back to school at Lambrook and the next day—January 12th—their parents kicked off their own 2023 year of engagements with a joint appearance in Liverpool.

I love the first engagement of the year. There is something fresh and exciting about seeing the couple back out and about after almost a month of being in low gear through the holiday. I also love that Kate wore these beautiful Christmas/winter colors. This is the same Holland & Cooper Black Watch coat she wore to plant the tree at Westminster in December. She paired it with a navy dress from Cefinn and Gianvito Rossi heels in a matching hue. She completed the look with her sapphire drop earrings and Mulberry bag.

This opening engagement was unusual in that it came in the midst of a sustained barrage from Montecito. Harry’s book Spare released a few days early in Spain and then hit the shelves everywhere else on January 10th, as scheduled. Since then, there have been endless reports on the contents of the 400-page book, in which Harry has attacked William, Camilla, Charles, and didn’t even spare Kate, to whom he seemed so close for so many years. I am sure you all have been seeing the many summaries and stories excerpted from the book.

I did drive to Barnes & Noble on the 10th to buy the book and get a peak inside. It was pretty quiet at the bookstore, but the only other woman in line was also carrying a copy of Spare. Harry’s publisher Penguin Random House announced that the book smashed records for non-fiction when it sold 1.4 million copies on opening day. I think those numbers include pre-orders, but there is no doubt the book has been a popular success in terms of sales.

Interestingly, it has not been a success for Harry in terms of popularity. In fact, the prince has only suffered further criticism in the press and endured a further plunge in his poll numbers. I imagine this is baffling to Harry and Meghan, who seem to be fighting, with every new barrage against the royals, to explain to the public why they should be pitied. Yet, like struggling in quick-sand, each successive assault only mires them more deeply in negative blowback and shrinks the size of their fan club.