Prince Harry ’s memoir Spare has dominated the headlines since its release on Tuesday (January 10) as it delivered a number of new revelations and attacks on the royal family.
The 416 page book, which charts Harry’s life in his own words, is a personal insight into his thoughts, experiences and emotions throughout his 38 years.
However it isn’t just the book’s explosive claims that have baffled fans, but the acknowledgments and thanks written at the end of the book, in which Harry appeared to snub his own family, in favour of name dropping a number of celebrities.
Among the names are Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Chris Martin and James Corden, who he thanks for their "unwavering friendship and support”.
Many readers have been left suspicious about the inclusion, with one Twitter user even accusing the Prince of “name dropping”, but it has since emerged that Harry really has forged some enduring A-list friendships since moving to the US.
Here, we take a closer look at how those friendships started.
Chris Martin
Harry’s friendship with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin began long before the Duke moved to the US with wife Meghan, with the pair initially meeting in 2014.
The pair had crossed paths after Chris wrote a song for the Invictus Games, which was founded by Prince Harry and still remains a cause very close to his heart.
Harry and Chris were even pictured together at a recording studio, smiling and laughing away together ahead of the song’s release, showing a clear and positive friendship.
Two years later, Harry once again enlisted the help of Chris and his Coldplay bandmates to perform at a Sentebale charity concert at Kensington Palace in June 2016.
The charity, another close to Harry’s heart, supports adolescents affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana.
During the performance, the young Prince even took to the stage himself alongside a children’s choir as they performed their Up & Up single together.
After the finale, Prince Harry said: "Thank you to Coldplay – thank you so much, you've rocked the palace, you've rocked the palace.”
Since moving to the US, it’s also believed that Harry’s friendship with the singer may now have strengthened even further, as the Prince’s home in Montecito is just 63 miles away from Chris' own home in Malibu.
Oprah Winfrey
One of the least surprising names to make the list of thanks, is US talk show icon Oprah Winfrey, who royal fans will no doubt remember sat down with Harry and Meghan for their highly explosive interview in March 2021.
Yet prior to the interview, Oprah had been a firm supporter of the couple, and even attended the Royal Wedding as one of their guests in 2018.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight about the experience, Oprah branded the occasion “transformative” as she explained how it was “more than a wedding” and instead represented a “cultural moment.”
Prior to the wedding, it’s believed that Oprah and Meghan had only actually met once, and in their recent Netflix documentary Harry and Meghan, the couple claimed that Oprah was shocked at the size of Nott Cott, the private residence where the couple lived.
Oprah still remains one of the couple’s most vocal supporters and since their US move, is now even one of their Montecito neighbours.
James Corden
The Late Late Show host James Cordon is another of Harry’s unexpected shows pals, and was even the first person to be able to secure an interview with the Queen’s grandson after he had announced his departure from royal life in 2019.
During the frank and honest discussion Harry opened up to the world about his motivations for stepping back from life as a working royal and his decision to move to the US alongside his wife Meghan and son, Archie.
He also made the surprising admission that The Queen had even sent little Archie a waffle maker as a Christmas present!
James and Harry are thought to have been friends for about a decade, and having both swapped the UK for a new life in LA, it’s easy to see why they have plenty in common.
Just like Oprah, James was also a notable attendee at the couple’s lavish royal wedding, with the star even deeming it "one of the most beautiful ceremonies I've ever been to”.
James and his wife Julie, alongside their three children, live around 90 minutes away from the couple, but have since announced they will soon be returning to the UK.
Tyler Perry
Another close confidant of the couple is American actor, director and playwright Tyler Perry, who even boasts the title of godfather to Harry and Meghan's daughter Lilibet.
When the couple first swapped their life in the UK for a new beginning stateside, Harry and Meghan first stayed with Tyler while they found their feet.
In Harry & Meghan’s Netflix series, Tyler explained that he had initially reached out to Meghan after he spotted Meghan’s father Thomas Markle had been cooperating with the press.
A few short years later, the couple and Tyler had forged a strong friendship, with the star even opening up his home to the pair after they left the UK.
Meghan said: "He [was] like, 'My house is safe. You’re going to stay as long as you need and I’m going get you there safely. And I’m gonna keep you there safely until you have somewhere to go.”
Prince Harry's book, Spare, is on sale now.
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