Prince Harry considered a surprise visit to the Queen to discuss him and Meghan stepping down as senior royals, a new book has claimed.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to move to California in January 2020 with their young son Archie, and have since added Lilibet to their family.
In a statement at the time, Harry and Meghan said they intended to "work to become financially independent" while balancing their time between the UK and North America.
The couple went on to discuss Archie and their plans to raise him with an "appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born".
A book written by The Times' royal correspondent Valentine Low now claims that Harry had tried to "speed up matters" by arranging to see the Queen alone before he left Canada - where he visited for a six-week break with Meghan in November 2019.
However, he was reportedly told that the Queen had become confused about her schedule and was no longer available.
In an extract of 'Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown', Mr Low writes: "Harry was incensed, because it was not true: the courtiers had got in the way, it seemed, because they saw the meeting with the Queen as an attempt to pick the Queen off before Harry started talks with the rest of the family."
He then quotes a source who says: "There was a danger that a private conversation could be interpreted very differently by two people.”
Mr Low continues: "That was said to have made Harry so cross that for a while he considered driving straight from the airport to Sandringham to drop in on the Queen unannounced.
"He eventually dropped the idea, but it was a sign of his frustration that he even contemplated such a move."
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 the US.
They moved to the sunshine state in March 2020.
When US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres previously asked her what Harry loves about California, Meghan replied: "We're just happy."
She also said that Harry "loves" the weather and lifestyle in California.
Meghan further told the audience: "I love to cook, we'll be (at) home and just relax and sort of settle in. It's our second Thanksgiving (at) home (in) California, so it will be nice."
Courtiers: the Hidden Power Behind the Crown by Valentine Low will be published on October 6 by Headline Books (£20)
