A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex has dismissed a new biography that says the Queen allegedly said he had been brainwashed by his wife ‌Meghan Markle as a “deranged conspiracy”.

Harry and Meghan have ‌been estranged from the British royal family since stepping away from official duties in ‌2020 and moving to California, but continue to attract huge interest both in Britain and abroad.

In extracts from his new book published in the Times newspaper, author Tom Bower, who has written several biographies about the royals, said the couple ‌began feuding ‌with the other ⁠royals shortly after their glittering 2018 wedding.

The couple are now barely on speaking terms with the other royals and Harry has seen his father the King only infrequently in recent years.

Bower wrote that the Prince and Princess of Wales were alarmed by Meghan’s impact ⁠on him and regarded her as a ‌threat.

“Meghan’s ​brainwashed Harry,” the Queen told a friend, according to the author.

According to ​the extracts, Harry ‌was also shocked by the fall from grace of his uncle Andrew ​Mountbatten-Windsor, who has lost all his titles and been ejected from his home over his links to the late convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Harry feared ​his brother would likewise effectively ​banish him.

In an unusually strong response, ‌a spokesperson for Harry and Meghan said Bower’s commentary had “long crossed the line from criticism into fixation”.

“Those interested in facts will look elsewhere; those seeking deranged conspiracy and melodrama know exactly where to find him,” the spokesperson said on Saturday (US time).

Buckingham Palace ​declined to comment on behalf of the King and Queen.

There ​was no immediate comment ⁠from representatives of the Prince William and his wife Kate.