Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly snub King’s Christmas invitation

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have “no plans” to spend Christmas with the royal family after details emerged about the Duke of Sussex’s memoir.

According to the Mirror, an insider claimed that relations are “near rock bottom” and Harry will decline King Charles’ invitation ahead of the book’s global release on January 10.

The bombshell tell-all is titled Spare, a nod to Prince William and the Duke’s roles as “heir and the spare”, with William as heir to the throne, and Harry as his spare.

One source told the outlet that the royal family were “completely caught by surprise” with the title of Harry’s book.

“This book could spell the end for any relationship Harry wants to have with his family, it’s desperately sad,” another source added.

“Everyone is bracing themselves for yet another fraught and frantic period at the mercy of the Sussexes.”

Last year, Harry announced that he was writing the tell-all book about his life.

The prince said he was excited to share an account of his life that’s “accurate and wholly truthful”.

“I’m writing this not as the Prince I was born but as the man I have become,” he said.

“I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story – the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned – I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.

One thing could force King Charles to not invite Harry and Meghan to his coronation. And it would "devastate" him. Photo / AP

“I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.”

That same year, relations hit a further low when Harry and Meghan sat down for an interview with Oprah Winfrey.

In the explosive tell-all, Harry said he felt sorry for his father, now King Charles, and brother William, who were “trapped” in their royal roles and couldn’t leave as he had.

Last week, Publisher Penguin Random House described Harry’s book as “raw, unflinching honesty” and that it will be filled with “insight, revelation, self-examination and hard-won wisdom”.

The contents of the book are still unknown, but they could put further strain on the relationship between Harry and his father and brother.