Prince Harry: mixed reaction as Royal's book Spare goes on sale across Fylde coast

There may not have been queues, as there was in some other parts of the country, but booksellers say there has been strong interest in the Prince’s controversial tome, Spare.

At the WH Smith branch on Victoria Road West in Cleveleys, the outlet had sold 41 copies of the autobiographical work by 4pm today (January 10).

A member of staff at the shop said there had been more interest in the book than the average new release – but not all of it had been positive.

She said: “This book has sparked a lot of conversations, probably more than any book I can remember.

"It has sold pretty well and people have been keen to buy it – but others have said they’re not keen at all, they’ve been quite vocal!”

At the independent booksellers, Book, Bean and Ice Cream on Poulton Street in Kirkham, proprietor Elaine Silverwood admitted she’d had second thoughts about stocking it.

She said: “I did hesitate about selling it, as I know others have done, but I decided it’s not up to me to sensor titles.

"We had some pre-orders from customers who were keen to buy it, but also some incredible negativity about it as well.

"They have all said the same thing – they just feel there was hypocrisy at fleeing the UK because of media intrusion, only to then invite it with the revelations in this book.”

Elaine said the embargoed deadline and the level of national interest took her back to the days of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter launches.

But she said: “This is much more divisive, I’ve never know anything quite like it in 23 years as a bookseller.

"And speaking personally, I thought the timing of it was dreadful, when the Royal family is having to cope with the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

"Prince Harry may have been paid a huge advance, but was it worth it.? A lot of things have been written and said that can’t be unsaid.”

At Waterstones in Blackpool, a staff member said things had been very positive.

He said: “We’ve sold 37 by 4pm and I haven’t detected any negativity about it.

"The level of interest has been massive.”

And there was a similarly positive reaction at Plackitt & Booth on Clifton Street, Lytham, where proprietor Patrick Booth said: “We’ve had quite a waiting list and the reaction has been super positive.

"People have just been delighted that we’re stocking it and we’ve had no negative reaction.”

The book’s launch has sparked a media frenzy and there was chaos caused by various multiple leaks and copies being made available in Spain ahead of the official launch.

Spare is already top of the best sellers in the UK for online retailer Amazon.

Interest has been fired up by a number of big revelations, including claims that Prince Harry was attacked by his brother, Prince William and boasts that he killed 25 members of the Taliban during his time serving in the The Army