Prince Harry
Former instructor contradicts his military narratives
© Dana Press
Prince Harry’s memoir “Spare” not only triggers a lot of reactions from his fans. More and more people who are mentioned in his autobiography are speaking out about certain descriptions in the book. So did a former comrade from the military.
Prince Harry, 38, caused quite a stir with his memoirs – not only in the royal family. People who are mentioned in his autobiography are also increasingly outraged. So also recently Harry’s instructor Ex-Sergeant Major Michael Booley.
Ex-Sergeant Major Michael Booley contradicts Prince Harry
This takes a position on one of Harry’s descriptions of his time in the military and makes it clear: Many of the prince’s statements have been “dramatized” and do not correspond to the truth. The reason for his comment is Harry’s allegation that Booley deliberately stalled the Slingsby T67 Firefly propeller plane without warning. In his memoirs, Harry describes this experience as a “suicide” training flight.
On one of our first flights together, Booley stalled the plane without warning. I felt the left wing collapse, an uncomfortable feeling of disarray, of entropy, and then, after a few seconds that felt like decades, he pulled the plane back up and leveled the wings.
I stared at him. What on earth…? Was that a failed suicide attempt?’ No, he said softly. That was the next step in my education.
Harry’s statements are ‘inaccurate’
That description seems to anger ex-Major Michael Booley, the man who sat next to Harry on the plane. “While the book gives me praise, I’m afraid the memory of the missions and lessons is inaccurate. It’s important to emphasize that there are no surprises in the cockpit,” Booley told the Sunday Mirror. In addition, the soldier is “stunned” and “shocked” by Harry’s inaccurate stories.
© Pool/Tim Graham Royal Photos / Getty Images
The inaccuracies are piling up
According to Harry’s former comrade, not only is this description of wartime far-fetched, other parts of his memoirs also do not seem to match the real events. Booley goes on to say that the prince’s title also deviates from reality: “I think the reference to the flight missions has been dramatized, I think it’s a result of ghostwriting, I never called him Lieutenant Wales, he was a officer, and I called him Sir”. However, despite the clarification, Michael and Harry still have a good relationship and remain friends to this day.
In addition to Michael, other former comrades also doubt the statements made by the dropout royal. Another trainer comments on the passage in the book: “The briefing takes place on the floor in front of a blackboard. I can only assume that the book was written to have dramatic effect, because it is wrong and no trainer would behave like that .”
Sources used: mirror.co.uk, “Spare” by Prince Harry