Prince Harry made a "spectacularly rude" comment to journalists covering a royal visit to the South Pacific in 2018, a new book has claimed.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent 16 days travelling around Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand on their first royal tour four years ago.
Harry and Meghan were popular during the tour, with huge crowds turning out to see them as they visited the countries and attended an impressive 76 engagements.
A book written by The Times' royal correspondent Valentine Low claims that, during a five-hour flight from Tonga to Sydney, Harry's press handlers promised he would thank the media for being there.
Mr Low writes in 'Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown' that the couple appeared once the plane had landed, with Harry "sounding rushed" as he told reporters: "Thanks for coming."
The prince then reportedly added: "Even though you weren't invited."
An extract reads: "This was spectacularly rude — and incorrect. The media had been invited to cover the tour."
Harry's staff are later said to have told him "how badly" the comment had been received, to which he reportedly replied: “Well, you shouldn’t have made me do it.”
The Duke has previously criticised the media, saying he feared “history was repeating itself”, in reference to his mother Princess Diana.
He once said in a statement: “There comes a point when the only thing to do is to stand up to this behaviour, because it destroys people and destroys lives.
“I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditized to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person.
“I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.”
The latest claims come as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex return to California following the Queen's funeral.
The rift between the Sussexes and other members of the Royal Family has been seen in headlines over the past couple of years where Harry and Meghan have been critical of their life in the UK when talking to American media since their move to California.
Previously, the Duchess of Sussex sued Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) for invading her privacy over five articles that reproduced parts of a "personal and private" letter to Thomas Markle in August 2018.
The actress-turned-royal won her case last year and will £1 in damages from the Mail on Sunday when a High Court judge ruled in her favour without a full trial.
ANL brought an appeal and, at a three-day hearing in November, argued the case should go to a trial on Meghan's claims against the publisher - including breach of privacy and copyright.
Three senior judges decided to dismiss the appeal.
Giving a summary of the decision, judge Sir Geoffrey Vos said: "The Court of Appeal upheld the judge's decision that the Duchess had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the contents of the letter."
Courtiers: the Hidden Power Behind the Crown by Valentine Low will be published on October 6 by Headline Books (£20)
