Prince Harry's newfound freedom has made the Royal Family look more like a prison

Free speech is one privilege that the Royal Family does not afford

Prince Harry's autobiography "Spare" has already sold over 400,000 copies in the UK making it the fastest selling non-fiction book on record. The Duke of Sussex's interview with ITV's Tom Bradby and Netflix series Harry & Meghan will no doubt inspire further sales.

Beyond the sensationalist stories and rumoured $100m Netflix deal, something about Harry's loose-lipped escapades will have a serious and lasting impact on the institution he has left behind.

Last night, Harry appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to reflect on his autobiography, including media reports that he boasted about killing 25 Taliban fighters during his military service in Afghanistan.

Harry's story is subject to scepticism and scrutiny like any other first-person account of private events. Harry and Meghan have vested interests just like the rest of the family; the rebel prince may well have exaggerated, twisted or been selective with the truth.

To borrow the criminal metaphor from parts of the British press, Harry had the motives to tell his story - book sales, lucrative media appearances, personal redemption. Precisely because he has broken free from the Royal institution, he also has the means and opportunity.

“This is the other side of the story. Right? After 38 years. They’ve told their side of the story and this is the other side of the story.”

Prince Harry talking about the British press on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Accepting Colbert’s offer of a tequila and lime, Harry joked that the discussion was like “group therapy”. His father, now King Charles III, arranged therapy for the young prince’s drug habits, but nothing for the loss of his mother, his place in the spotlight or his role as a spare.

The public value of Harry’s tales about losing his virginity behind a pub or suffering a frostbitten "todger" are up for debate.

But what about Harry? Not the Prince, not the spare, but the man. The ability to own his story is a therapy that he must have needed.

The Royal Family have adopted a motto: never complain, never explain. Keep quiet, stay private and fulfil your role with a sense of duty.

Service becomes more difficult when the family succumbs to infighting. Harry accuses his brother of ripping his necklace and knocking him to the floor. He accuses his step-mother Camilla, now Queen Consort, of “getting into bed with the devil” when she leaked sensitive stories to the press. We know the story of Charles and Diana - and Camilla - all too well.

There are holes in the case for a royal family in a world where fairness is supposed to reign supreme. The case from inside the institution is not much stronger.

The principle of lifelong and unquestioning service is something that sounds more suited to Star Wars, like the Jedi code. Royal members must pay the ultimate price for their privilege: freedom, independence and individuality.

Since breaking free, Harry has been able to talk about his life in the way that any other person could. He has shown himself to be level-headed and humorous, even taking part in a skit with Stephen Colbert and Tom Hanks which sees the American actor receive a royal fanfare at the prince’s expense.

“I made a choice to share it because having spent nearly two decades working with veterans all around the world, I think the most important thing is to be honest and be able to give space to others to share their experiences without any shame… my attempt with sharing that detail is to reduce the number of suicides.”

Prince Harry explaining why he wrote about killing people in Afghanistan

The Royal institution looks woefully clunky by comparison and are yet to even afford themselves comment on Harry’s accounts. Harry and Meghan may, at times, seem entitled, jarring and even inhuman. What does that say about the family from which they have escaped?