Blood-soaked copies of Prince Harry memoir ‘sold for five-figure sums’ – as artist plans coronation protest
An artist who soaked copies of Prince Harry’s memoir in human blood says he has sold some for five-figure sums – and is planning a further protest on the day of the King’s coronation.
Andrei Molodkin covered 25 copies of Spare in blood donated by Afghan people following the Duke of Sussex’s controversial remarks about his number of kills in Afghanistan.
A spokesman for the dissident Russian artist said the blood-smeared books went on display in Kennington, London, this week and seven copies have now been sold – each for at least $10,000 (£8,000).
The blood-soaked copies of Harry’s memoir Spare went on display this week
Fabien Nordmann, a long-time fan of Molodkin’s work, told Sky News he had agreed to pay more than the asking price as he wanted to secure “one of the first editions”.
“He’s a visionary,” Mr Nordmann said of Molodkin.
“He told me the price was $10,000 and I said: ‘What about to get the number 1 or 2?'”
Mr Nordmann, who lives in Paris and is currently working in the Ivory Coast, said he is yet to receive his blood-covered copy of Spare but will make arrangements to collect it when he returns to the French capital later this month.
The 77-year-old said he was not disturbed by Molodkin’s use of blood, saying it was “to shock” but insisting it was “less shocking” than Harry’s remarks.
Fabien Nordmann (R) pictured with artist Andrei Molodkin
Molodkin, an anti-war artist who lives in France, has previously said any money raised from the sale of the blood-soaked copies of Spare will be donated to Afghan charities.
The blood was originally donated to fill a sculpture Molodkin created of the Royal Coat of Arms, which was projected on to St Paul’s Cathedral in London in March.
Harry’s controversial comments
The duke faced criticism for revealing in his memoir that he killed 25 Taliban fighters while serving with the British Army in Afghanistan.
He wrote that it “wasn’t a number that gave me any satisfaction… but neither was it a number that made me feel ashamed”.
The prince also admitted that he did not think of those he killed as “people”, but instead as “chess pieces” that had been taken off the board.
Prince Harry pictured serving in Afghanistan in 2008
He wrote: “While in the heat and fog of combat, I didn’t think of those 25 as people. You can’t kill people if you think of them as people. You can’t really harm people if you think of them as people. They were chess pieces removed from the board, Bads taken away before they could kill Goods.”
Mr Nordmann said: “The son of the King said, like, it was a game. This is really shocking.
“You don’t kill like a game.”
Molodkin released photos as he smeared the books in blood
Mr Nordmann said he plans to keep his blood-soaked copy of Spare in his home “near a book of the Rolling Stones”.
It is the sixth piece he has bought from Molodkin over 15 years. “He has multiple talents and he knows how to express with quality,” he said of the artist.
“It’s like somebody from the Renaissance.”
The artwork contained blood donated by Afghans
Molodkin projected the sculpture on to St Paul’s Cathedral
Coronation protest
Molodkin is now planning a protest for the King’s coronation on Saturday when a video game will be available to access on mobile phones near Buckingham Palace.
The prototype game reflects “the very real atrocities that were committed in the Iraq and Afghani wars”, the artist says, and a link sent to selected people will only function within a mile radius of the palace.
Molodkin said the coronation was a ‘vulgar display of power and wealth’
It will use similar technology to that used by Molodkin last May, when he said an image of an anti-war sculpture containing the blood of Ukrainian fighters was live-streamed at Moscow’s Red Square, as Vladimir Putin oversaw Russia’s Victory Day parade.
On the King’s coronation, Molodkin said in a statement: “The money being spent on this vulgar display of power and wealth is built on the blood of victims around the world over many generations.”
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He added: “People are unable to feed their children and heat their homes so this display of pomp and ceremony should be seen for what it is.
“It is a violent assault on democracy through the monarchy’s quest to maintain its bloodline.”
Entertainment
MasterChef presenter John Torode says allegation he used racist language upheld in report
Entertainment
Gregg Wallace: Over half of allegations against MasterChef presenter substantiated, including one of unwanted physical contact
An investigation into Gregg Wallace’s “inappropriate behaviour” on MasterChef has found that more than half of the allegations against him have been substantiated, including one of “unwanted physical contact”.
MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK shared a summary of its report into historical allegations of misconduct against the 60-year-old presenter, carried out by independent law firm Lewis Silkin over seven months.
The report also said the number of sustained allegations made Wallace’s return to MasterChef “untenable”.
The investigation heard evidence from 78 witnesses, including 41 complainants.
There were 83 allegations against Wallace, and 45 of them were substantiated. All were related to MasterChef.
While the majority of the substantiated allegations related to inappropriate sexual language and humour, a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated.
One allegation of unwanted physical contact was substantiated.
Nearly all the allegations against Wallace were related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018, with just one substantiated allegation taking place post-2018.
Wallace and Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2014
Ahead of the publication of the summary, Wallace had said he had been “cleared of the most serious and sensational accusations” made against him.
Additionally, the report summary found that there were also 10 standalone allegations about other people between 2012 and 2018/2019, two of which were substantiated. Those people were not named in the summary.
The investigation found that complaints had previously been raised with the production company between 2005 and 2024.
Gregg Wallace on MasterChef. Pic: BBC/ Shine TV 2024
While the report flagged inadequate reporting procedures prior to 2016, when Endemol merged with Shine ahead of Banijay acquiring Endemol Shine in 2020, it said there were significant improvements to HR processes and training after 2016.
While the investigation said some formal action was taken by the BBC in 2017, it also noted the corporation held no information regarding concerns raised over Wallace centrally, resulting in issues being addressed as a first offence.
Sky News has tried to contact Gregg Wallace for contact today.
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