Prince Harry felt 'more secure in hotel' after duke 'snubbed' Buckingham Palace

The author wrote about the circumstances surrounding Harry's visit to the UK in May for the 10th-anniversary service of the Invictus Games, when no member of the Royal Family publicly supported the duke at St Paul's Cathedral.

According to Hardman, the duke opted to stay in a hotel during the visit because of "security reasons".

He wrote: "The King and his staff had been well aware of Prince Harry's travel plans, however, to the extent that the monarch had even offered his son accommodation at Buckingham Palace.

"The Prince had chosen to stay at a hotel instead. 'We were told it was for security reasons,' says a member of the King's staff.

"'I'm not sure you could get anywhere more secure than the Palace. Maybe he was worried about the mice.'

"Sources close to the Sussexes explained that any Palace accommodation would, by definition, be inside a high-profile location and, without appropriate 'security provision', it would be safer to stay at an anonymous hotel."

Hardman also wrote about how the Duke of Sussex, 40, travelled to the UK swiftly after learning about his father's cancer diagnosis in February.

He said: "In the hours before the announcement of his diagnosis, the King telephoned all the members of his family, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in California.

"The King's younger son immediately made plans to fly to London to see his father, arriving at lunchtime the day after the announcement."

According to Hardman, the King is keen to patch up relations with his son so that he can see his grandchildren, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three, more often.

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A former member of staff was quoted as saying: "He always had an iron discipline about not stirring things up with the Sussexes.

"It can take a huge effort to do nothing when you're being criticised."

Elsewhere in the book, Hardman wrote about how the Duke of Sussex is fighting the British Government over a decision to downgrade his security following his departure from the UK.

A senior constitutional expert and adviser to the family was quoted as saying: "Here you have the infelicitous situation where the King's son is suing the King's ministers in the King's courts. That is pulling the King in three directions."