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Remorseful Prince Harry expresses guilt over treatment of Caroline Flack during their romance

The Duke of Sussex shared a heartfelt reflection

prince harry caroline flack
Diane Shipley
Senior Online Writer
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In one of many heartfelt moments in Prince Harry's new memoir, Spare, the dad-of-two opened up about his brief relationship with the late Caroline Flack.

In the book, which will be released on Tuesday, the Prince paid tribute to how humble the TV presenter was when they met at a restaurant in 2009.

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Revealing that he didn't know who she was, Harry writes: "She wasn't taken aback that I didn't recognise her. She didn't have a big ego."

The relationship didn't last, though, and Harry reveals his regret that the star was besieged by the press when news of their romance broke.

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He writes: "Very soon after they papped me and Flack, those photos set off a frenzy. "Within hours a mob was camped outside Flack's parents' house, and all her friends' houses, and her grandparents' house".

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Harry said that the pair continued to date for a little while afterwards but were dogged by comments about the difference between their class backgrounds, leading him to wonder "Are we really such a country of insufferable snobs?"

prince harry© Photo: Getty Images

The Prince expressed his regret

In the end, the media attention got too much and as the Prince reveals, "In time we realised it just wasn’t worth the grief and harassment. Especially for her family. Goodbye, we said. Goodbye and good luck".

Love Island host Caroline tragically died by suicide in February 2020 and Harry also writes about hearing the sad news, commenting: "I felt so awful for her family. I remembered how they'd all suffered for her mortal sin of going out with me.

"She'd been so light and funny that night we met. The definition of carefree".

prince harry meghan© Photo: Getty Images

Harry married Meghan Markle in 2018

The Spanish copy of Spare was accidentally leaked a few days early but will officially be published on 10 January.

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The candid memoir is set to provide an "intimate and heartfelt" account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape Harry over the years.