Britain's sensational memoir, Spare, has finally been published in January 2023, providing intimate new details of his life in the royal family. While the confession caused an uproar in Britain and brought turmoil to Prince Harry's family at home, it also inadvertently became a gift of valuable research material for the actor who played Prince Harry in the hit Netflix series "The Crown."
In a recent interview with Variety magazine, "The Crown" star Ted West shared how Prince Harry's memoir was the "perfect gift" for him to portray the young prince in the acclaimed royal drama. According to West, Prince Harry's authentic memories of his childhood and relationship with his father, Prince Charles, in the books directly influenced a key scene in the sixth season that is airing.
There is a key scene where Prince Charles wakes up Prince Harry in the middle of the night and tells him about Diana's death. West explained. "Reading Prince Harry's description of that moment in the book, where he recalls his father saying 'everything will be fine' and touching his knees, it really influenced the way I performed in that interaction. ”
West said the level of personal detail that Prince Harry provided in his memoir about the harrowing family event provided important insights into his understanding of the emotions of the two royals in that fragile scene. "Dad didn't hug me. He is not good at expressing emotions under normal circumstances. Prince Harry wrote in his memoirs.
This authentic anecdote from Spare Tire provides West with a solid foundation from which to understand the perspectives of father and son in that emotionally charged interaction. "I could feel Prince Harry's combination of sadness, shock and estrangement from his father in that moment. His memoirs made me feel like I was in their room. The actor explained.
This isn't the first time West has mentioned Prince Harry's inspiration for his performance in The Crown. In an earlier interview with Entertainment Weekly, he spoke about the "vast research library" of **, interviews and archives available to him. But the direct information provided by Prince Harry's own personal experience brings the true face of the prince's character more vividly.
West admitted: "Having Prince Harry's own words as a reference takes it to a whole new level. The insights he shares in the book about his frustrations in the character, mental health dilemmas, and difficult relationships with his family are insightful. This allowed me to get a more intuitive picture of the character behind all the gossip. ”
Prince Harry's authentic emotional intelligence and sense of self in his memoirs deeply influenced West. Despite the controversy that "Spare Tire" has caused around the world, it has become a valuable source of authentic stories for the cast of "The Crown".
In addition to providing insightful details about the specific events shown in the show, West said Prince Harry's memoir also provides a deep understanding of the psychological pressures that can come with living inside the royal family. "You can really feel the psychological cost of navigating this world since he was a child. I think this complexity and fragility is a real reality. The actor noted.
Of course, Prince Harry's true memoirs did not receive a warm reception from his estranged family in the UK. But despite the controversy surrounding some of these revelations, the memoir had an unexpectedly positive impact on the other side of the Atlantic. Prince Harry's telling his truth in such an honest and human way inadvertently provided a valuable acting lesson for the cast of "The Crown."
Even for an actor like West, who has a wealth of research resources, the fuel provided by getting first-hand experience from "Spare Tire" is unparalleled. Thanks to the duke's willingness to open up in words, viewers will now witness the most sensitive portrayal of Prince Harry on TV screens. While sparking heated debate on the other side of the Atlantic, Prince Harry's memoir forged an unexpected creative collaboration on the other side, once again demonstrating the power of a personal story to have an impact on global conversations.
For West and the sixth season of The Crown, the impact is far greater than any other source or archive. Ultimately, as the actor summed it up, "As an actor, Prince Harry's memoir is a perfect gift. There is both inspiration and revelation. ”
So while Prince Harry's book may strain his relationship with his relatives in the British royal family, its revelation is warmly welcomed, at least for a TV prince. Through a series of unexpected events, one person's personal disclosure intentions are both a relief and a revelation to thousands, while shaping the truest image of the royal family on a television screen in the process.