The possibility of stripping Prince Harry of his title was discussed at the “highest level”, according to a new book.
Author Robert Jobson claims senior aides joked the Duke of Sussex was being held “hostage” by his wife Meghan, who they blamed for the rift in the royal family.
Mr Jobson’s book, Our King, which has been serialised in the Daily Mail, said some senior officials wanted him to be demoted to Mr Mountbatten-Windsor.
But King Charles III, who has “enduring love for his son”, is said to be against the plan.
According to Mr Jobson’s book, the king is saddened by the “widening gulf” between him and Prince Harry.
“The idea of stripping Harry of his Duke of Sussex title has been discussed at the highest level. The king is said not to be in favour, but other senior royals are less indulgent,” the book says.
“Ultimately, despite Charles's enduring love for his son, he will come under increasing pressure if Harry continues to attack the monarchy. At that point, the king would have two options: put up with the spreading stain on his reign, or take action to limit its scope.
“In short, Harry and Meghan could yet find themselves demoted to Mr and Mrs Mountbatten-Windsor of Montecito, California.”
The book claims Prince Harry insisted Meghan joined him in Scotland following Queen Elizabeth II’s death, which “did not go down well with his family”, and the king said she could not come.
One source told Mr Jobson that some blame Meghan for the family fallout, “ignoring the fact that Harry seems to be the driving force in everything that happened”.
“There was a point when officials joked Harry was the victim of Stockholm syndrome, and he was Meghan’s hostage, but now most just feel Harry has turned his back on everything he has known,” the book says.
Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex through the years - in pictures
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Doria Ragland, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Awards in New York City. Getty -
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies in Los Angeles in April. Getty -
The royal couple speak onstage at the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala in New York in December 2022. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan watch as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is placed into the hearse following the state funeral service at Westminster Abbey in central London in September 2022. AP -
Prince Harry and Meghan pay their respects at the Palace of Westminster. Getty -
Prince Harry, Meghan and Kate, Princess of Wales, attend a service for the reception of Queen Elizabeth's coffin at Westminster Hall. AFP -
The Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince Harry and Meghan meet members of the public outside Windsor Castle. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan leave after a service of thanksgiving for the queen. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York in September 2021. AP -
Prince Harry and Meghan on the cover of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world edition, in September 2021. Reuters -
Prince Harry and Meghan are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in March 2021. Reuters -
Prince Harry and Meghan shared this image on social media in February 2021 to announce they were expecting their second child. AFP -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit Canada House, London, in January 2020. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit Auwal Mosque on Heritage Day during their royal tour of South Africa in September 2019. Getty -
Prince Harry, Meghan and their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor in South Africa in September 2019. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan meet Beyonce Knowles-Carter and Jay-Z at the European Premiere of Disney's The Lion King at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, London, in July 2019. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan pose for a photo with the New York Yankees before their baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at London Stadium in June 2019. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan pose with their newborn son Archie in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle in May 2019. Getty -
Meghan, joined by her mother Ms Ragland, shows her new son to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle in May 2019. AP -
Prince Harry and Meghan officially open Number 7, a Feeding Birkenhead citizen’s supermarket and community cafe in Merseyside in January 2019. Getty -
Prince William, the Princess of Wales, Meghan and Prince Harry attend a Christmas Day church service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate in December 2018. Getty -
Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan and the Duchess of Cambridge attend a service marking the centenary of the First World War armistice at Westminster Abbey in November 2018. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit Redwoods Tree Walk in October 2018 in Rotorua, New Zealand. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit an exhibition of Tongan handicrafts at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre in October 2018 in Nuku'alofa, Tonga. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit the University of the South Pacific in October 2018 in Suva, Fiji. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan address the public during a Community Event at Victoria Park in October 2018 in Dubbo, Australia. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan meet a koala during a visit to Taronga Zoo in October 2018 in Sydney, Australia. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan arrive at the University of Chichester's Engineering and Digital Technology Park during an official visit to West Sussex in October 2018. Getty -
The queen, Meghan, Prince Harry, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF 100th anniversary fly-past from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in July 2018. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan on their wedding day in May 2018. Getty -
Prince Harry places a wedding ring on his new wife's finger. Getty -
Meghan and Prince Harry head to their evening wedding reception at Frogmore House. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan walk through the corridors of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on their way to a reception for young people at the Palace in February 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Getty -
Prince Harry and his then-fiancee Meghan visit Nottingham for their first official public engagement together in December 2017. Getty
The book also claims the late queen thought the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's behaviour was “quite mad” and that Harry was “so consumed” by his love for Meghan it was “clouding his judgment”.
The queen, who had a great affection for her grandson, was said to have tired of his outbursts and the “volatile exchanges between Harry and his brother, which sometimes took place in her presence”, the author said.
After Harry and Meghan started publicly criticising both the monarchy and members of the family, “the queen was frankly mystified by the couple's behaviour, describing it as 'quite mad',” the book adds.
“She came to believe, however, that her grandson was 'so consumed' by his love for his wife that it was 'clouding his judgment',” it says.
In 2020, she had ruled Meghan's attendance at the Sandringham summit via video link “not necessary” as Harry would represent her, amid fears the feed would be recorded or other people would be listening in.
The book also says the Princess of Wales found conducting a joint walkabout with Harry and Meghan after the queen's death “almost unbearable”.
Kate told a senior royal the public show of unity “was one of the hardest things she had ever had to do” because of the depth of ill feeling between the two couples.
William, Kate, Meghan and Harry greeted well-wishers outside Windsor Castle two days after the monarch's death in September last year.
The rift between Harry and William, the Sussexes' bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview with its allegations of racism against an unnamed royal, accusations the institution failed to help a suicidal Meghan and that Kate made the duchess cry, left the Windsors in turmoil in the months and years before the queen's death.
It has yet to be confirmed whether or not the Sussexes will travel from their Californian home to attend the king's coronation next month.
