Spare: Independent book shops in Northern Ireland not expecting big returns from Prince Harry autobiography

‘Spare’ comes with a recommended retail price of £28, but is expected to sell for half that from large retailers who can afford to make the discount.

Chris Disley, who runs The Secret Bookshelf in Carrickfergus, said: “We’re bringing in a few copies because people have asked us for it, but we’ll not be coy about telling them they can get it cheaper if they really want to.

"We’ve got something off it, but we can’t compete with the likes of Amazon and Tesco.

"Realistically they’re actually putting them out as loss-leaders, they’re being sold below the cost of the book. What they’re trying to do is get you in the door and you’ll buy more than just the book.”

Chris, who runs the book shop with his author wife Jo Zebedee, said that despite some of Harry’s book being made public there would still be a demand.

He said: "Most people will have heard all the edited highlights, read excerpts, the leaked bits, heard the interviews, seen the Netflix series, but I still think there’s going to be demand for it, especially in the big supermarkets and online.”

Chris added: "This type of book isn’t something that we would sell lots of. Me personally, I’m not into big into biography, I’m more into history and fiction. No harm to Harry, but I don’t think I’ll read it.

"Something like Manchan Magan’s ‘Listen to the Land Speak’ was huge for us last year, we sold loads of that book. It’s a very different book.

“We would do a very eclectic range of books, lots of different genres. We aim to build up relationships with customers, they become more than just customers, like friends.”

Jenni Doherty, who runs Little Acorns Bookstore in Londonderry, believes the book is destined to flood charity shops in a few months.

She said the only two copies she has brought in are for customer orders: “Generally, being honest, I wouldn’t have got them in unless they were customer orders. It’s not really of interest in this part of the world.

“As an independent book seller there are lots of things putting me off. Number one, the price – £28. Number two, the supermarkets will be selling it for half price. Number three, I don’t really do celebrity autobiographies.

“In a couple of months time it will be one of those books that will flood the charity book scene.”

Discussing her best sellers, Jenni said: “The most popular sellers would Irish published fiction and non fiction and a lot of the local history titles. When you’re independent you try to carry a lot of different stock to reflect your customers’ interests.

“As I’m in the North West, anything to do with Derry, Donegal will be big sellers. A lot of the Irish political books have been very favourable and Irish biographies, along with folklore, mythology and children’s books.

“Celebrity autobiographies, cookery and gardening are not really big sellers for me.”