Prince Harry and Prince William watch the flight on the RAF's centennial in 2018
"Great! We have an heir to the throne and a 'royal spare tire', and the succession to the throne can be regarded as foolproof! When Prince Harry was born, Prince Charles said half-jokingly to Princess Diana.
This is the little story that Prince Harry tells in his memoir Spare. "Spare" is a word often used in the British royal family to describe him.
"Everyone in the family will not shy away from describing me as 'Prince William's shadow,' 'supporting role in the royal succession,' and 'Plan B of the throne,' as the Spanish translation of his memoirs.
But the lack of attention to the "royal spare tire" made Prince Harry so annoyed that he used "Spare" as the title of his memoir - this substitute character full of uncertainty faced fatalistic suffering as soon as he was born - the "royal spare tire" has a lot of money, holds privileges, but lives in nothingness without a sense of purpose for a long time.
"It's a pointless position," said Professor Pauline Maclaran, a royal expert at the Royal Holloway Centre for Modern Monarchy at the University of London.
The aimless luxury of life is whitewashed with the beauty of drunken gold, but the lack of achievement and purpose also causes a heavy yoke on the "royal spare tires".
Professor McLaran said a modern, streamlined monarchy should find a clearer role for the "royal spare tire"; Or after they lose the possibility of inheriting the throne, release them from royal bondage.
Royal historian Ed Owens cites Sweden and Denmark as examples. These two countries provide an example of a "streamlined" royal family: "spare" individuals who may be on the fringes of the royal family can have their own private lives without being bound by royal responsibilities.
In 1973, Princess Margaret and her sister Queen Elizabeth II at the badminton horse racing trials
Mr. Owens cites Queen Elizabeth II's sister, Princess Margaret, whose private life was torn apart by media intervention, and the powerlessness of the "royal spare tire" led to headlines often making excessive pranks and less censorship protection.
"Those immediate family members enjoy dignity that young royals don't have," he said. As Prince Harry described the "royal spare tire" as a "tool to distract the media" – after all, none of the above dilemma is likely to happen to the monarch or the direct heir to the throne.
Prince Andrew looks at cards and flowers paying tribute to his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September 2022
Prince Andrew, also a "royal spare tire", has been looking for a new role in life – although it has not been successful so far. Before he denied the scandal over allegations of sexual assault, he had earned the nickname "King of Miles" for his year-round travel around the world.
Of course, the "royal spare tire" system is not entirely useless. George VI¹ was the younger brother of Edward VIII and had a restrained personality. But after his childless brother abdicated, he rose to the throne and became a prominent wartime leader. His father, George V, was also a second son when he ascended the throne.
In addition to being second in the order of succession, the "royal spare tire" is still not dominant from the perspective of family dynamics. "Most of the 'royal spare tires' suffer from 'second child syndrome' and are full of rebellion and resentment towards older children who have higher status and more responsibility, and older children are also annoyed by the lack of responsibility of younger children. "These contradictions are the trigger for the deterioration of relations buried deep in the hearts of the royal family, and on the other hand, they are structural contradictions that are inevitably triggered by constitutional provisions." ”
Historically, it has also been common for young royals to gain notoriety for their bohemian behavior or to be rebuked by competitors who threaten the authority of the elders. Disney movies in the 1970s depicted the power struggle between the 12th-century royal brothers - the infamous King John and the famous King Richard 2.
Princess Margaret with Diana, Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry after participating in a troop parade in June 1988
"But in the 21st century, there is no need to be too pessimistic about the identity of the 'royal spare tires,'" said author and historian Sir Anthony Selden, "and as long as Prince Harry and Meghan share the wisdom and generosity of men, they both have the potential to create something great together that will bring a bright future to the monarchy without its debilitation." ”
"To solve the battle between the royal brothers, someone needs to step up and preside over the big picture. As long as both brothers maintain a reconcilable attitude, even a broken relationship can be reunited. Sir Anthony said.
"After all, in the royal family, a battlefield without gunsmoke, no one will be a real winner."
【Explanation of terms】
1. George VI
On 11 December 1936, his brother Edward VIII decided to abdicate and marry Simpson, and Albert immediately ascended the throne, named George VI. During World War II, George VI became a symbol of courage and perseverance for the British people. During his reign, the dissolution of the British Empire accelerated, gradually evolving into the Commonwealth, with George VI becoming the first head of the Commonwealth.
2. Good King Richard and Bad King John
Richard conquered Sicily, Cyprus, and finally successfully negotiated with Saladin. On the return trip, he was delayed by Austrian house arrest for two years, and finally Richard was ransomed by the British people with one heart, and formed a strong army to successfully fight back against France; Charles I had no sons, his nephew Arthur was too young, and his younger brother John succeeded him. The Pope encouraged Philip II to gather troops in Normandy and march into England, and John offered to turn the English king into a vassal of Rome. John also wanted to continue raising money to raise taxes and fight the war, and the aristocratic party was about to openly rebel, forcing John to sign the Magna Carta in 1215.