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Prince Harry shared his fondness for shopping at TK Maxx (known as TJ Maxx in the U.S.) in an excerpt from his newly released memoir, Spare. The Duke of Sussex recalled that he received an allowance from his father for formal clothing and went to the discount store for casual clothes:
“Each year I received from Pa an official clothing allowance, but that was strictly for formal wear. Suits and ties, ceremonial outfits. For my everyday casual clothes I’d go to TK Maxx, the discount store.”
The Prince shared that he was specifically a fan of TK Maxx’s “once-a-year-sale” when the retail store sold outfits from Gap and J Crew that were slightly damaged or left out of season.
“I was particularly fond of their once-a-year sale, when they’d be flush with items from Gap or J Crew, items that had just gone out of season or were slightly damaged.”
As the passage from The Prince’s book went viral online, a spokesperson for TK Maxx told Express that contrary to the former’s claims the retailer does not engage in annual sales:
“Whilst we’re delighted Prince Harry is a big fan, we thought we should explain we don’t actually do sales. Instead, we offer great value, style, and savings all year round.”
However, netizens were quick to point out that TK Maxx’s statement was seemingly untrue, as the company posted about “clearance sales” in January itself:
Some social media users have also accused the retail store of lying and being “desperate for royal endorsement”:
Author of Finding Freedom and Prince Harry's biographer, Omid Scobie, also took to Twitter to defend the royal while taking a jab at TK Maxx by sharing photos of the brand’s previous seasonal reduction in stock clearance.
Prince Harry shares his TK Maxx shopping experience
Speaking about his fashion and style in his memoir Spare, Prince Harry recalled his experiences of shopping at a TK Maxx discount store. He recalled buying casual outfits from the store’s “once-a-year sale” and shared the benefits of shopping from the retail store:
“If you timed it just right, got there on the first day of the sale, you could snag the same clothes that others were paying top price for down the street! With two hundred quid you could look like a fashion plate.”
The royal then went on to share his own “system” of grabbing the best deals while shopping at TK Maxx and said:
“Grab a red bucket. Hurry to the top floor. Begin systematically working one rack and down another. If I found something promising I’d hold it up to my chest or legs, standing in front of a mirror.”
He also mentioned that he did not “dawdle” while deciding the “color” or “style” of clothing and never even tried the outfit before finalizing his purchase:
“If I was on the fence about it, I’d ask Billy the Rock. He delighted in moonlighting as my stylist.”
The Prince recalled that he was left delighted by the end of his TK Maxx shopping spree and relaxed, knowing he did not have to worry about buying new clothes for “another six months”:
“At closing time we’d run out with giant shopping bags, feeling triumphant. Now the papers wouldn’t call me a slob. At least for a little while. Far better, I wouldn’t have to think about clothes again for another six months.”
In response to the Duke’s excerpt, TK Maxx denied having any sales and claimed to sell clothing all around the year, only to be called out by social media users over the false statement.
Back in 2013, the brand took to Twitter to mention Prince Harry after the royal was spotted shopping at the department store.
Netizens call out TK Maxx over Prince Harry situation
Prince Harry recently shared his love for buying clothes during TK Maxx’s “once-a-year-sale” at a discounted rate. While he recalled his shopping experiences, the brand denied the former’s claims and said they never organized any clearance sales.
Social media users were quick to call out TK Maxx over its statement and exposed that the brand lied about not having sales by sharing their past social media posts promoting seasonal or monthly sales:
As reactions continue to pour in online, it remains to be seen if TK Maxx or Prince Harry will address the situation further in the days to come.
