9 Celebrity Memoirs That Caused Major Drama in Their Personal Lives

‘Spare’ by Prince Harry

While Prince Harry’s relationship with the rest of the British royal family was already fractured, some say that his memoir Spare was the last straw. Among the revelations made by the Duke of Sussex was a physical altercation between him and his brother Prince William, the truth behind the bridesmaid drama between Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton and his feelings of loosing a brother when he married Kate back in 2011. 

As a result, the otherwise private royal family was reportedly beyond upset with their personal business being out into the world. According to royal reporter Katie Nicholl for Vanity Fair, William was “furious” with Harry over his memoir. Most of all, Nicholl said that the Prince of Wales revealed to friends that he “will not forgive Prince Harry for spilling their closest secrets.”

‘Worthy’ by Jada Pinkett Smith

Speaking of a fractured family, Jada Pinkett Smith, among other revelations, opened up about being separated from her husband Will Smith for years prior to Worthy’s release. And while the Hitch actor was supportive of the release, it seems like not everyone in their family was on the same page. 

“[Willow Smith and Jaden Smith] feel bad for their dad with all the recent headlines about their parents,” a source told Entertainment Tonight. “They know he has been going through a lot lately and this isn’t helping,” the source added. “They wish some of their family’s private matters remained private.” Looks like they need a family meeting ASAP!

‘My Thoughts Exactly’ by Lily Allen

In 2019, singer Lily Allen opened up about her life in her memoir My Thoughts Exactly. In one of her memories, Allen remembered partying with fellow A-lister Zoë Kravitz. “We became friends,” Allen wrote, per Refinery29. “Later in the tour, when we were in Washington, the girls and their nanny, Jess, came out to visit me for a few days, but I had to go back to New York for a day or so for work. Zoe and I went out partying and ended up kissing. I heard that later that same night she’d got down with A$AP Rocky. ‘Go girl,’ I thought.”

Shortly after the release of the book, however, Kravitz set the record straight during an episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. “If by ‘kissing’ she means, like, attacking, then yes, she kissed me,” Kravitz told Cohen. “She attacked me.” Yikes!

‘Life With My Sister Madonna’ by Christopher Ciccone

While Madonna’s brother Christopher Ciccone was not necessarily famous by the time he released his 2008 memoir, Life With My Sister Madonna, he had long worked with the singer and had plenty of stories to share. Among his confessions were that Madonna, per Page Six, is “bossy, sweaty, moody and, above all, mean.” In addition, Ciccone, who worked as her backstage dresser and show designer, said her underpaid and even outed by the popstar on TV. 

As a result, Ciccone and Madonna’s relationship unraveled. In 2017, Ciccone even revealed his sister blackmailed him from the industry and made it impossible for him to get a job. “When I got back to LA my 500 acquaintances suddenly turned out to be four friends,” he told the outlet. “She’s quite powerful in Los Angeles, in the industry. I was working in the industry doing music videos and tours and it was difficult to get work, if not impossible.”

“I could have written that book, the book about how horrifying she is or can be, but I didn’t write that book,” he added. “I was just looking for a little recognition for the work I’ve done for 20 years with her, that it wasn’t one person.”

‘The Secrets of My Life’ by Caitlyn Jenner

In another dramatic memoir, Caitlyn Jenner’s memoir The Secrets of My Life caused quite a stir in the Jenner-Kardashian household, especially when it came to her relationship with ex-wife Kris Jenner. Among the alegations made by Caitlyn in her book are that Kris “mistreated” her during their marriage and that the Kardashian momager was well aware of her desire to transition since the beginning of their relationship, per Buzzfeed News. 

During an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kris then set the record straight about those accusations. “I read it and basically the only nice thing she had to say was that I was great socially at a party one time,” Kris said, per Grazia. “None of it makes sense. Everything she says is all made up. Why does everything have to be that Kris is such a b— and an a—?”

After the memoir, Caitlyn and Kris’s relationship went from bad to worse. In an interview earlier this year, Caitlyn said she currently doesn’t “have any more contact” with Kris.

‘Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing’ by Matthew Perry

In addition to talking about his sudden rise to fame with Friends and his struggles with addiction, the late Matthew Perry also struck a nerve in his memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. 

“River [Phoenix] was a beautiful man inside and out — too beautiful for this world, it turned out,” Perry wrote, per Us Weekly. “It always seems to be the really talented guys who go down. Why is it that the original thinkers like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger die, but Keanu Reeves still walks among us?” Ouch!

The shade towards Reeves was, as one would expect, not well-received by his fans. As a result, Perry then issued an apology. “I’m actually a big fan of Keanu,” he told People. “I just chose a random name, my mistake. I apologize. I should have used my own name instead.”

‘The Woman in Me’ by Britney Spears

In another celebrity-shading-celebrity moment, Britney Spears’ memoir, titled The Woman in Me, went directly after her ex, Justin Timberlake. Among the relevations about their relationship was that they both cheated on each other, Spears had an abortion with their baby at just 19 years old and Timberlake broke up with her over text. 

As a result, the bombshell allegations undeniably ruptured any relationship the two had left. “Justin owns who he was when he and Britney were together, even though his personality, career, lifestyle, and personal priorities are radically different now, 20 years later,” a source told The Sun. “This book is a nightmare for him because of how it throws the whole family into chaos.”

And in addition to burdening Timberlake, the memoir also shook up his marriage to Jessica Biel. “Having it in the zeitgeist hasn’t been a topic of constant conversation, but Justin and Jessica have definitely talked about it,” a source told Page Six. “And to have to think of all of that during a time when they should celebrate their love for each other hasn’t been the most satisfying of days lately; it has been a bit stressful.”

‘If You Would Have Told Me’ by John Stamos

In one of the most recent memoirs in this list, John Stamos wasn’t afraid to go after his ex-wife Rebecca Romijn in his memoir, If You Would Have Told Me. 

“My first marriage was shattering to me. I was shattered for way too long, too,” Stamos told People. “I mean, a year, okay, good. But it went on [for] years and years.” Stamos went on to explain that at the time, he viewed his wife as “the Devil,” saying that “I just hated her. I couldn’t believe how much I hated her, and it ruined my life.”

As a result, Romijn is less than happy about airing this long-forgotten dirty laundry. “She doesn’t want to give John any more oxygen or attention and help him sell more books,” a source said of the actress’ feelings, per Page Six. Looks like these exes won’t become friends anytime soon!

‘Open Book’ by Jessica Simpson

Much like Stamos, Jessica Simpson also shaded many of her exes, including ex-husband Nick Lachey, in her memoir Open Book. Following the bombshell accusations in the book, Lachey addressed it in an interview at the Today Show. “To be honest, I obviously haven’t read the book, so I don’t know what she said or what she revealed there,” Lachey said, per InStyle. “It was a long time ago, we’ve all moved on.”

And while both Simpson and Lachey are both happily married, it seems like the memoir made it impossible for them to ever be friend. When asked about their relationship at the Dr. Oz show, for example, Simpson simply said “there is not one.”