JR Moehringer talks about what it was like ghostwriting for Prince Harry in 'Spare.

JR Moehringer talks about what it was like ghostwriting for Prince Harry in 'Spare.

J. R. Moehringer served as Prince Harry's Ghostwriter for Spare. Moehringer has never told us what it was like working with Harry. We haven't heard about how collaborative the writing process was, or whether Moehringer was more of an editor or co-writer. We now know this thanks to a wonderful article Moehringer wrote in The New Yorker entitled "Notes From Prince Harry's Ghostwriter." Moehringer explains a 2022 argument that he had over Zoom with Harry about a passage of the book about Harry's training as s a military officer, and Harry fought to include his snappy response to the line...

J. R. Moehringer served as Prince Harry's Ghostwriter for Spare. Moehringer has never told us what it was like working with Harry. We haven't heard about how collaborative the writing process was, or whether Moehringer was more of an editor or co-writer. We now know this thanks to a wonderful article Moehringer wrote in The New Yorker entitled "Notes From Prince Harry's Ghostwriter." Moehringer explains a 2022 argument that he had over Zoom with Harry about a passage of the book about Harry's training as s a military officer, and Harry fought to include his snappy response to the line crossing moment when his "interrogators", brought up his mom. Both men became angry and frustrated over a single line. Moehringer thought Harry was going to fire him. Harry then accepted JR’s call, saying "I enjoy getting you worked-up like that." It's amazing: the ghostwriter of Julian Assange wrote 25 thousand words about Julian Assange's methodology. To me, it sounded like Elon Musk consuming mushrooms on Mars. What do I know, then, that the same ghost wrote a review for "Spare," describing Harry as being "off his royal tits," and me going "all Sartre" or "all Faulkner"? Who am I, to give rules? Perhaps the alchemy behind each ghost-author pair is unique. He got the job: In the summer of 2020 I received a text. The old question. Would you like to talk with someone about ghosting their memoir? I shook my head no. I covered my eyelids. I heard myself blurting out Who when I picked up my phone. Prince Harry. I accepted a Zoom. Naturally, I was curious. Who wouldn't? I wondered what was the real story. I wondered if there would be any chemistry between us. There was a surprising factor that led us to have chemistry. My mother Dorothy Moehringer had recently died and Princess Diana died 23 years prior to our first conversation. Our griefs were both fresh. Harry did not have a deadline. That was what attracted him to ghost Harry. Ghosts will happily oblige many authors who are in a hurry. They produce three to four books per year, churning and burning. I'm painfully slow. I don’t know how else to do it. I liked him too. I called him dude immediately; it made him laugh. His story was both relatable and frustrating, when he told it in broad strokes. It was horrifying how he had been treated by strangers as well as close friends. Harry and I were able to make steady progress throughout 2020 because we didn't want the world to know what we did. Zoom's privacy allowed us to enjoy the moment. Harry began to trust me and brought others into the Zoom bubble. This was a crucial phase for every ghosting project. You need to interview the person who is most knowledgeable about your author. His first trips to Montecito. As the pandemic faded, I finally was able to travel there. I once went with my family. Harry won my daughter Gracie's heart with his "Moana", scholarship. His favorite scene is when Heihei the silly chicken finds himself at sea. I went alone twice. Harry had me stay in his guesthouse where Meghan and Archie came to visit me during their walks. Meghan brought me trays and sweets every day, because she knew I missed my family. Harry's candor - In time, all topics were on the table. His candor made me feel honored, and I could see that he was surprised. I felt energized. Harry could not escape his wish that "Spare", which I had always focused on, would be a refutation of every lie about him ever published. Harry's dream is endless retractions. Borges envisioned endless libraries. He knew that at first, some people would be shocked. Harry knew that some people would be shocked at first. Someone leaked news about the book. Whoever did it, their callousness towards Harry extended to me. My contract gave me the right to be anonymous, which I insist on. But the leaker b...