Prominent republican defends Prince Harry after backlash over his memoir

Under fire from seemingly all directions for revealing family secrets in his memoir, Prince Harry has found some support from an unlikely source.

Peter FitzSimons has defended Prince Harry on social media amid the backlash against the royal for spilling family secrets in his memoir.

FitzSimons, the author, former international rugby player and prominent republican, took aim at a Twitter user who labelled the Duke of Sussex a “sook” and a “weak man” who was “controlled by a manipulative woman”, the implication being that Harry’s wife Meghan Markle was the only reason for him “knifing his own family”.

“That is way too simplistic, in my view,” the former chairman of the Australian Republican Movement tweeted.

“His broad point is, ‘They have leaked against me and my wife for years. I am not leaking, I am putting my name to my views, and this is what happened.’

“And to me he sounds credible.”

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Prince Harry has come under fire for spilling family secrets in his upcoming memoir, Spare.

Peter FitzSimons defended the Duke of Sussex on social media. Picture: Adam Yip

During the press tour for his tell-all memoir Spare, Harry made a series of allegations against his relatives including that his stepmother, Queen Consort Camilla, had planted stories to make herself look better in the press after marrying his father King Charles in 2005 following a highly publicised affair.

The Prince also claimed that negative stories about him and his wife were planted by communication teams working for senior members of the family.

FitzSimons came to Harry’s defence to tell his side of the story.

“As to the notion that he shouldn’t tell family secrets, his equal point is that everyone else in the royal family has been leaking to the press for years,” the commentator wrote.

“They have told several books’ worth, courtesy of the tabloid press. So, for once, he can tell his own story.”

When asked by another Twitter user why an “intelligent man” would waste time thinking about the royal family, FitzSimons explained the republican implications of the fallout between the Duke and his family.

“One reason is, the whole imbroglio speaks to the republic,” FitzSimons said.

“The notion that this is a special family - put there by God to be so much better than the rest of us, that they must reign over us - is wearing a bit thin, yes?”

Last year, FitzSimons stepped down as head of Australia’s republic movement, weeks after the death of Queen Elizabeth.

Prince Harry with ITV’s Tom Bradby. Picture: ITV

FitzSimons’ defence comes after Harry was slammed for airing his family’s dirty laundry in his TV interviews.

Sky News Australia host Piers Morgan blasted the Duke for being a “delusional, paranoid, family-trashing halfwit” and “exploiting the royals’ most personal secrets” during his ITV sit down.

“Never seen an unhappier ‘happy man’ in my life,” the outspoken broadcaster tweeted.

“Prince Harry’s a bitter, delusional, paranoid, family-trashing halfwit exposing & exploiting the Royals’ most personal secrets for gazillions whilst wanging on with jaw-dropping hypocrisy about media intrusion. He’s pathetic.”

GB News presenter Dan Wootton also aired his opinion on Harry’s tell-all.

The UK TV host pointed out the Prince has known journalist Tom Bradby for 20 years, insinuating the interview would be tame because of this association.

“Tom Bradby and Prince Harry: Two mates having a laugh together,” he tweeted.

“The disgraced ex-royal chose his BFF for this “interview “ because he doesn’t want to face serious scrutiny about his tissue of lies designed to bring down the Royal Family.”

The commentator slammed ITV for airing the show, saying it was “terrible” they allowed it to go ahead.