Prince Harry has denied having a ‘physical fight’ with Prince Andrew after a bombshell royal book serialised by the Mail claimed punches were thrown when the disgraced Duke of York said something behind his back.
The new biography, called Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, claims the Duke of Sussex and his uncle entered a violent altercation during a family gathering in 2013 over ‘something Andrew said behind Harry’s back’.
In extracts being serialised in the Daily Mail over the next five days, the book’s author Andrew Lownie claimed ‘Harry got the better of Andrew by all accounts’, with Harry leaving his uncle ‘with a bloody nose’ before their brawl was broken up.
Later Andrew is said to have told Harry his marriage to Meghan Markle would not last more than a month and accused his nephew of going ‘bonkers’ and not doing any due diligence into her past.
Read the full extract serialised in the Mail here.
Last night, representatives for the Duke of Sussex denied the fight ever happened, adding that Andrew never made the alleged comments about Harry.
A spokesman for the Duke of Sussex told the Daily Mail: ‘I can confirm Prince Harry and Prince Andrew have never had a physical fight, nor did Prince Andrew ever make the comments he is alleged to have made about the Duchess of Sussex to Prince Harry.’
In the explosive new biography, Prince Andrew was dubbed ‘sex obsessed’ and a ‘perverted animal’ by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
There was even a long-standing rumour of an affair with a household staff member when he was still married to the Duchess of York. One nanny is said to have left because he made unwelcome advances.
However, a family friend also described the prince as ‘not very socially adept’ and a ‘bedroom bore’ when it comes to women. ‘He’s about as subtle as a hand grenade,’ said another.
As a young man Andrew was said to be juvenile and fond of sly pranks – and sources said not much changed as an adult.
One friend described him as a ‘nightmare to sit next to at dinner’, making ghastly jokes about whether the ladies are wearing knickers and ‘lavatorial’ jokes.
At the same time he has a strong sense of of his own position as a senior member of the Royal Family, demanding people call him ‘Your Royal Highness’ and ‘Sir’ and insisting people stand up when he comes into the room.
Some aides have been reduced to tears, while another was moved to different duties because Andrew ‘disliked a mole on the man’s face’.
Former prime minister Boris Johnson was said to have remarked after being forced to dine with Andrew: ‘I’m the last person to be a republican but, f***, if I ever have to spend another lunch like that, I soon will be.’
