Prince Harry said his "conscience is clear" over his memoir Spare and related Netflix work, telling The Guardian during a surprise visit to Kyiv that his accounts were intended as corrections to existing stories rather than public airing of "dirty laundry." He also said "you cannot have reconciliation before you have truth," remarks that were widely read as a rebuke of his brother, the Prince of Wales.

Speaking in Kyiv just days after a private meeting with his father, King Charles III, Harry said he did not publish his 416-page memoir or take part in the Netflix series out of revenge. "It is not about revenge, it is about accountability," he told the newspaper, adding that he understood the disclosures "annoys some people and it goes against the narrative." He said his wife, Meghan, had advised him to "just stick to the truth."

Spare, published in January 2023, made a series of revelations about tensions within the royal household, including allegations of a physical altercation between Harry and his brother and critical comments about family members. The book became the United Kingdom's fastest-selling non-fiction title, according to its publisher, and prompted widespread media coverage and debate about the royal family's private dynamics.

Harry reiterated that parts of his account were intended to correct previously published narratives. He described the material as "a series of corrections to stories already out there. One point of view had been put out and it needed to be corrected." He dismissed characterizations that he had been airing private grievances for personal gain, saying he had "not aired my dirty laundry in public" and that he had handled the disclosures "in the best way possible."

The remarks came amid a short trip to the United Kingdom last week in which royal aides said Harry spent four days on engagements and met his father for the first time in 19 months. Reports in British media suggested the visit could mark the start of a tentative rebuilding of family ties, with a source quoted as saying the king wished to spend time with his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet. Buckingham Palace and royal representatives have not disclosed details of private family conversations.

Harry travelled to Kyiv to carry out work connected to the Invictus Games and to support Ukrainian veterans, including a visit to a makeshift memorial for Ukrainian and foreign soldiers and to a charity established in memory of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. He arrived in the Ukrainian capital after flying to Poland and taking a train across the border.

His spokesman described the UK leg of his trip as a positive opportunity to "catch up" with charities, colleagues and friends. In previous interviews and legal proceedings, Harry has signalled an interest in reconciliation while also saying accountability and truth are prerequisites. In May, after losing a High Court case related to security arrangements, he told the BBC he would "love a reconciliation" with his family and that "there's no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious."

Media accounts have reported differing responses within the royal family. Some outlets said King Charles urged his sons not to make his final years difficult; other reports said the Prince of Wales declined to meet Harry during the same period, despite being in close proximity. Those accounts have not been independently confirmed by royal officials.

Harry, who turns 41 on Sept. 15, continued to frame his public disclosures as part of a wider effort to set the record straight, emphasizing accountability over revenge and asserting that his conscience was clear. He remains engaged in veteran-focused causes and international activities, including work tied to the Invictus Games, while discussions about family reconciliation continue to be reported in British media.