Prince Harry's 'Spare' Has Been Brutally Retitled In Some Countries
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A bookseller prepares a display for the German translation of "Spare" titled "Reserve" in German.
Now that “Spare” is officially out, it seems the title of Prince Harry’s memoir has been translated slightly differently in some parts of the world – and each new phrase is punchier than the last.
The memoir, officially published on Tuesday, January 10, has made front page news around the world over the last week.
Not only did it come with a set of trans-Atlantic promotional interviews from Harry himself, and contain wall-to-wall royal bombshells, but it was leaked days before its intended launch over in Spain, adding yet another layer of intrigue.
No wonder it has become the fastest-selling non-fiction book ever, according to its publishers.
But, where “Spare” has global appeal, it seems its very title is being translated into slightly different words each time. Here’s just a few variations out of the 16 translations available worldwide, translated back into English;
Brazil: “What’s Left Over.”
Spain: “In The Shadow.”
France: “The Substitute.”
The Netherlands, Romania, Hungary and Germany: “Reserve.”
Finland: “Deputy.”
Sweden: “The Second.”
Poland: “The Other One.”
Italy: “The Minor.”
By calling his tell-all memoir “Spare,” Harry is referencing his role as the second son – where his brother Prince William was always meant to be the “heir” to the throne, Harry would always be the backup option. “Heir and the spare” is a well-known British phrase.
As he claims in the book, the duke’s father ― then-Prince Charles ― joked to his then-wife Princess Diana that he finally had an “heir and a spare” upon Harry’s birth – so his job was “done.”
A woman holds a copy of "En La Sombra" (In the Shadow), the Spanish translation of Prince Harry's memoir, in Barcelona, Spain.