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Meghan Markle, 38, and Prince Harry, 35’s unprecedented royal step down and the circumstances which led to it are being explored in a new book. Finding Freedom by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand is being serialised in the Times and Sunday Times ahead of its publication on August 11. The first section of the book shared on Saturday details the breakdown in relations between Meghan Markle and Prince Harry and Prince William and Kate Duchess of Cambridge, as well as other sensational claims.

Ms Durand and Mr Scobie claim relationships between the two royal camps became so frosty that the couples were hardly speaking at the time of their final royal engagement together in March.

The two couples came face to face for the first time in months at the Commonwealth ceremony in March, where Meghan was allegedly snubbed by Kate.

Mr Scobie and Ms Durand, said: “Although Meghan tried to make eye contact with Kate, the duchess barely acknowledged her.”

Mr Scobie told the Times: “To purposefully snub your sister-in-law… I don’t think it left a great taste in the couple’s mouths.”

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One royal expert has claimed the reported royal rift between the Cambridges and Sussexes as well as Meghan and Harry’s strained dealings with the Palace, is the mirror image of another historic royal rift.

Author of Prince Andrew, Epstein and the Palace Nigel Cawthorne said: “The falling out between the Sussexes and Cambridges is a carbon copy of what happened with the Wales and Yorks.

“Initially the couples got along famously and then tempers flared between the princes, their wives and their parents.”

Finding Freedom also claims that Meghan and Harry felt like they weren’t being listened to by royal courtiers and suspected other royal households of leaking stories about them.

A friend of the couple’s described Palace some of the old guard as “vipers.”

Mr Cawthorne claims Harry and Meghan could have learnt a thing or two from Prince Andrew, who has managed to hold onto his royal status despite the scandal surrounding his friendship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Mr Cawthorne said: “Harry and Meghan were slightly more naive than the Yorks.

“The British monarchs have fought a successful popularity battle since 1066 and can afford to lose a few dukes and HRHs on the way.”

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Mr Cawthorne added: “If they had wanted advice on how to deal with Buckingham Palace’s grey men in suits they could have done with Prince Andrew’s advice.

“He is the only one of two princes who grew up in the place and knows like no other how to resist the Svengali-style intrigue that its courtiers play with consummate skill.

“Even though the Epstein scandal is one of the longest-running and most devastating in recent royal history, he has retained his style and his income no matter that he is the least popular royal and he is planning his comeback with the palace.”

Prince Andrew withdrew from royal life last year after giving a controversial interview about his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

In a statement announcing his withdrawal from public life for the foreseeable future, Prince Andrew expressed empathy for Epstein’s victims.

The Duke of York said: “I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.”

He added: “I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein.

“His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure.

“I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives.

“Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.”

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