Everything Prince Harry Said About ‘Friends,’ Including Matthew Perry’s Chandler Bing Character, in ‘Spare’
Friends actor Matthew’s Perry died from a reported drowning, but his legacy as Chandler Bing remains for fans, royalty included. Prince Harry, a self-described “Friends fanatic,” even called himself “ a Chandler” after Perry’s Chandler Bing character on the iconic TV series.
Prince Harry called himself a ‘Chandler’ from ‘Friends’ in ‘Spare’
In between Harry’s recollection of major life events, such as Princess Diana’s death, his May 2018 royal wedding, and the 2020 Sandringham Summit, were little details about the duke in Spare. Among them was his love of Friends and the character he identified with most.
At one point in his best-selling memoir, Harry explained how he spent a lot of time watching Friends in the summer of 2013. The reason, he said, had to do with “toggling between bouts of debilitating lethargy and terrifying panic attacks, (via Spare).
So Harry spent most of his time at home watching the TV show. So much of it, in fact, the now-father of two shared he might’ve even watched Friends in its entirety that summer. All 236 episodes and 10 seasons.
“I had no choice: I began staying home,” Harry said. “Day after day, night after night, I sat around eating takeaway, watching 24. Or Friends. I think I might’ve watched every episode of Friends in 2013.” It was during that time Harry decided he “was a Chandler.”
Harry often watched ‘Friends’ while folding laundry and doing chores around the house
Among the random things about Harry in Spare is his love of Friends. Not only did he refer to himself as a Chandler, but Harry demonstrated to readers where the famous TV series fit in his daily life as a royal.
Spoiler: It played a pretty big role. At least in his home life while living at Nottingham Cottage, or “Nott Cott,” on the grounds of Kensington Palace in London, England. That is, before his wife Meghan Markle, came into his life and eventually moved in with him.
“Besides my own laundry (often laid out to dry on my radiators),” Harry wrote, “I did my own chores, my own cooking, my own food shopping. People often speculated that I was clinging to my bachelor life because it was so glamorous.”
But, as he explained, that wasn’t his experience. “Many evenings I’d think: if only they could see me now. Then I’d go back to folding my underwear and watching ‘The One with Monica and Chandler’s Wedding.’”
Harry wanted the ‘courage’ to tell ‘Friends’ star Courteney Cox about identifying as a ‘Chandler’ in 2016
Among the celebrities mentioned in Spare is Friends star Courteney Cox. She appeared in a passage when Harry visited the U.S. in January 2016 and suddenly found himself at Cox’s Los Angeles, California, home with friends.
Harry recalled Cox “didn’t mind if we crashed at her place” while she traveled “on a job.”
“No complaints from me. As a Friends fanatic, the idea of crashing at Monica’s was highly appealing. And amusing,” he wrote. “But then … Courteney turned up. I was very confused. Was her job canceled? I didn’t think it was my place to ask. More: ‘Does this mean we have to leave?’ She smiled. “Of course not, Harry. Plenty of room.’”
Harry continued, saying the situation still “confused” him. “She was Monica. And I was a Chandler,” he said. “I wondered if I’d ever work up the courage to tell her. Was there enough tequila in California to get me that brave?”
The passage also included magic mushrooms, which Cox has since discussed publicly, and a Will Arnet sighting (Harry refers to him as The Lego Batman Movie actor).
