The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are once again shining the spotlight on themselves, most recently with Prince Harry’s new book, “Spare,” which has been a hot topic in the media. You may think that after weeks of intense coverage promoting and uncovering the secrets of the British Royal Family in Harry’s book that the media would take a break, but they continue to shine a bright spotlight on Harry and his “perfect” wife Meghan. 

After the so-called “Megxit” saga of 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the decision to step back from the royal family and become financially independent. In those early months, the couple expressed their desire to lead a normal life and escape public scrutiny from the tabloids. Nothing says stepping back from the spotlight like creating your own exclusive Spotify podcast, signing a deal with Netflix to produce a documentary, participating in numerous television interviews and now writing a book. 

I have many problems with “Spare.” It’s convenient that it was unknowingly leaked a week before its release. The tabloids that “attacked” Meghan routinely ate up their drama quickly, and it became a fight over who could be the first to leak the stories.

The book itself is nothing but a blatant attempt to vindicate Harry and undermine his family. The royal family is outdated, and they are likely not transparent about their innermost relationships involving Harry and Meghan. However, the couple’s continuous framing of themselves in a positive light for all the world to see is downright annoying. 

To put it simply, Harry and Meghan just won’t go away. 

They claim they want to distance themselves from the royal institution but still go about using their royal titles. In a “60 Minutes” interview, when Anderson Cooper asked Harry about this, he replied “and what difference would that make?” Maybe the difference is that it wouldn’t let the couple continue to cash in on the royal family’s name like the leeches they are. “Spare” is full of lies and should be enjoyed as a work of fiction. Heck, the book was entirely ghost-written as Harry couldn’t even bother to do it himself. 

Harry and Meghan have never tried to truly live a life of their own, independent of the institution. All they have ever wanted was to live a fairy-tale life and have the spotlight on themselves, no matter the cost. They need their titles to stay relevant, and the self-absorbed pair will continue to profit off their image as long as they can, even if it means airing out their family’s dirty laundry. 

Some say Meghan may be the one behind the dramatics, pulling the strings, steering Harry on this path and even playing a part in his book deal. A particularly funny passage in “Spare” that Meghan threw in was that Prince William was initially scared to meet her, as he was a fan of her show “Suits.” I like “Suits” as much as the next guy and find it entertaining, but it’s not a popular show, and Meghan doesn’t even play the main character. Another memorable passage from the book is the physical confrontation between William and Harry, where William insults Meghan by calling her “difficult” (I don’t disagree) and then grabs his brother and throws him to the ground. 

Despite their attempts to clear their names, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are nothing but hypocrites. Today, their nation and the whole world see Harry for what he truly is — an angry, privileged prince, constantly blaming other people for his actions and failing to take any accountability. These personal revelations undermine him, his family and even his country. Queen Elizabeth II is likely rolling in her grave as the foundations of the institution she built are starting to crumble.

Sure, the power is in Harry and Meghan’s hands as they control how much attention they receive, but how long can we support this simple cash grab? They’re never leaving the spotlight, and we need to stop giving them attention they don’t deserve. Constantly playing the victim is getting old — Meghan’s been out of acting for a while, and it’s time for her to find a new starring role. 

I leave you with this, a message to Harry and Meghan: “[if] you want to get out of the hole, first you have to put down the shovel.”