Prince Harry’s former ghostwriter has revealed he never actually met the Duke of Sussex while writing his contribution to the 2011 book “Walking With The Wounded”.
Author Mark McCrum, who penned Harry’s foreword for the bestselling book about four wounded soldiers trekking to the North Pole, made the surprising admission in recent comments to the Mail.
The book, which features Prince Harry’s name prominently on its cover, tells the story of injured servicemen undertaking the polar challenge.
“When I ghost-wrote for Prince Harry on the bestselling book Walking With The Wounded, about four wounded soldiers who trekked across the ice to the North Pole, I didn’t meet him,” McCrum disclosed.
Prince Harry’s ghostwriter admits he has ‘no idea’ if Duke of Sussex ever read his message
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Walking With The Wounded was released in 2011 by Mark McCrum
Paragon
Instead of meeting the prince, McCrum received video footage of Harry in Norway, where he was en route to join the soldiers.
“In the end I was sent a video of him out on the ice, enthusing about the beauty of the landscape and the bravery of his companions,” McCrum explained.
The footage showed Harry trekking across the ice for 15 minutes, dressed in full polar kit.
McCrum noted that while the video was recorded specifically for him, it offered limited insight into the prince’s thoughts.
Prince Harry joined the Walking with the Wounded team in 2011
PA
“It was recorded just for me but hardly illuminating. The word ‘amazing’ featured a lot, I remember,” he revealed.
McCrum revealed that he developed the material into a comprehensive chapter, which then required official approval.
“This was worked up into a thoughtful chapter, which then had to get copy approval from Clarence House,” the author said.
However, McCrum admitted he remains uncertain whether the Duke of Sussex ever read the final product.
Prince Harry training before setting off to walk to the North Pole in 2011
PA
“Whether Harry read it himself, I have no idea,” he disclosed to the Mail.
The revelation offers a rare glimpse into the ghostwriting process for royal publications, highlighting the formal approval procedures required through Clarence House.
McCrum drew a comparison to JR Moehringer, who later ghostwrote Prince Harry’s memoir “Spare”.
The author suggested Moehringer faced greater challenges in his work with the duke.
Prince Harry (left) looking at maps with Jaco Van Gass, Martin Hewitt, Steven Young and Simon Dalglish
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“JR Moehringer, who said he was ‘exasperated’ ghost-writing Harry’s memoir Spare, clearly had a tougher challenge and a longer struggle,” McCrum noted.
The contrast between the two ghostwriting experiences highlights the different scales of the projects.
While McCrum’s contribution focused on a specific charitable expedition, Moehringer’s work involved crafting Harry’s comprehensive personal memoir.
The comparison offers insight into the varying complexities involved in royal ghostwriting assignments.