The Duke of Sussex’s self-pitying whinge must not overshadow the coronation

The publication of his memoir Spare was supposed to mark the moment when the Duke of Sussex bared his soul to the world, by telling the life story that he felt had been hijacked by others. As it turns out, reports of the book have ensured days of pre-release controversy to the great detriment of his own reputation and to the dismay of his family and the public at large.

His lengthy interview broadcast on ITV on Sunday night poured more petrol onto a bonfire of resentments and anxieties that appear to have consumed the Prince for years, even before his marriage to the Duchess of Sussex. For those who admired Prince Harry for the way that he coped following the tragic death of his mother, his career in the Army and his role in setting up the Invictus Games for injured ex-servicemen and women, this has been excruciating to watch.

We have been party to an extended self-pitying whinge that has hurt those closest to him, principally the King, the Queen Consort and the Prince of Wales. He seems not to have cared about which confidences he has broken or the consequences of some of his accusations. A sense that he was motivated by the need to maximise sales in order to make money or fulfil lucrative TV contracts makes this even more reprehensible.

Many will doubtless feel sorry for the Duke who, despite his insistence that he has never been happier, comes across as troubled and estranged from his family, his friends and his country. He talks of his desire for a reconciliation and yet has burned so many bridges that it is hard to see a way back. He wants to retain his royal titles for himself and the Duchess, but does not want an active role in the monarchy, though he remains fifth in the line of succession.

Much of what the Duke regards as slights either to himself or his wife are, to most people, merely normal family interactions. He has been persuaded to make some injudicious disclosures and unsubstantiated allegations, such as the bizarre suggestion that the media sought to undermine his wife with the connivance of the Royal family. His revelation that he killed 25 Taliban fighters while serving in Afghanistan was especially ill-judged and potentially dangerous.

This May will see the first Coronation since 1953. Perhaps by then the Duke will be reconciled with his father and brother; but, if not, his self-indulgence must not be allowed to overshadow such an important state occasion.