Prince Harry’s former ghostwriter has given an unprecedented insight into writing for him and revealed he has “no idea” if the Duke ever read the finished result.
Author Mark McCrum had to write Prince Harry’s foreword for his 2011 book Walking With The Wounded.
The book tells the story of four wounded soldiers trekking the North Pole and its cover features the Duke of Sussex’s name prominently.
However, McCrum revealed that he had never actually met the prince and opened up about how he came to write the piece.
He told the Mail: “When I ghost-wrote for Prince Harry on the bestselling book Walking With The Wounded, about four wounded soldiers who trekked across the ice to the North Pole, I didn’t meet him.”
The author claimed that Harry was in Tromsø, Norway, on route to join the soldiers mentioned in the book and while he didn’t fly to meet him, he was sent a video of him out on the ice.
Mr McCrum explained: “In the end I was sent a video of him out on the ice, enthusing about the beauty of the landscape and the bravery of his companions.
“For 15 minutes, Harry trekked across the ice grinning a lot in full polar kit.
“It was recorded just for me but hardly illuminating. The word ‘amazing’ featured a lot, I remember.”
But he revealed that once he finished Harry’s segment, he had “no idea” whether the royal read the finished product, while he also made a nod to J.R. Moehringer, who wrote Harry’s memoir, Spare.
The author said: “This was worked up into a thoughtful chapter, which then had to get copy approval from Clarence House. Whether Harry read it himself, I have no idea.
“J.R. Moehringer, who said he was ‘exasperated’ ghost-writing Harry’s memoir Spare, clearly had a tougher challenge and a longer struggle.”
