Perhaps in that title “The Spare”, the spare son, there is more truth than you think. Today the British tabloids headline Harry’s latest outburst: “My grandmother Queen Elizabeth II knowingly decided to send only me to war because she wanted to save the life of William, the heir to the throne.”
She originally wanted to send both grandchildren to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan when war broke out in 2001. But then she decided it was too risky to send William. This was revealed by a former army chief in violation of protocol.
The delicate decision as to whether or not the princes should take sides in the conflict was made in a meeting between the late Elizabeth II and General Sir Mike Jackson, former chief of the British army.
In an ITVX documentary entitled ‘The Real Crown’ which is due to air soon, Sir Mike reveals: ‘I am going to break the rule of not disclosing what happens on this occasion, but the Queen was very clear on that occasion. She said: ‘My nephews have taken my shilling, so they must do their duty.’ But then she let us know that she had decided that William as the heir of the heir, she could not run that risk, while for her younger brother (the spare) the risk was acceptable ». More spare tire than that.