Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have two upcoming major projects — their docuseries with Netflix and his memoir. However, his book titled Spare is reportedly already sold at a discounted price before it even hit shelves.
Prince Harry's Spare Is Already Sold 'Half Price' Weeks Before Its Release
Royal commentator Michael Cole spoke with GB News about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's docuseries Harry & Meghan. During the conversation, he briefly mentioned Prince Harry's upcoming book.
"By the way, my wife noticed a couple of days ago that it was on sale or pre ordered at WH Smith at half price already," he said on GB News, Express reported.
Cole was not the first to say that Prince Harry's book was already sold at discounted price even before its release date.
The book has a cover price of £28 in the United Kingdom and $36 in the United States. However, some book-selling franchises, including Waterstones, are already offering the book at half-price and selling it at £14.
"Publishers make most money on hardbacks and at £28, Harry's hardback price is already pretty steep," literary agent Peter Cox of Litopia told Express.co.uk about the cover price of Prince Harry's 416-page memoir.
"However, even before publication it's already on sale by retailers for half-price! I don't like that. It suggests a touch of desperation," he added.
Prince Harry's Memoir Spare Could Be Seen As A Swipe To The Royal Family?
While discussing the price, Cox said that once the price is lowered, it's "hard to charge full price again." When asked if the £28 cover cost was justified given the author's name, Cox said Penguin Random House was "pushing the boundaries."
For him, it will depend on the content of the book. The content will also determine if it will last long on the bookshelves.
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"If it's seen as a truly historic book then the cover price will be justified and it will have a long shelf life, so will earn the publisher's advance back over many profitable years," Cox explained.
"But if it's seen as a mean swipe at family members – who can't really fight back – then I suspect it will quickly disappear from the bookshelves."
Stay tuned for more news and updates about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.