Prince Harry’s split with William started before Meghan romance and came to head over marriage, source claims

the 35-year-old had been increasingly frustrated by being in the shadow of the Cambridges.

They said: "Harry felt awkward as a plus one. They’d turn up at premieres and there was this sense that he felt a bit like a spare part.

"It wasn’t a rivalry between the brothers but more a sense that they would be competing over who would lead on their various issues. 

"Long before Meghan he wanted to change things. He wanted to control his own narrative."

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Sensational claims made in Finding Freedom include:

• Meghan and Harry felt "cut adrift" and were frustrated at Prince William and Kate Middleton getting the 'plum' jobs
• The former actress moaned she had given up her life for the Royal Family
• Prince Harry compared fronting up to the royal institution to being in front of a firing squad
• The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were frustrated the Queen would not meet them earlier to discuss their demands
• Meghan's relationship with Kate Middleton struggled to move past initial politeness

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And tensions reportedly grew when Prince William, 38, pulled his brother aside asking "are you sure about this?" around the time Meghan and Harry announced their engagement in 2017.

As the couple's relationship continued, claims that the former actress clashed with Kate Middleton also surfaced - including reports that Meghan, 38, made the duchess cry during wedding preparations.

The authors of Finding Freedom today claimed Kate and Meghan's friendship struggled to move past politeness.

Appearing in , the extract explains: "The two duchesses’ relationship had struggled to move past the distant politeness of when they first met.

"Their cordial but distant rapport was apparent when the pair appeared alongside each other at the King Power Royal Charity Polo Day the previous summer.

"While the doting mothers were photographed next to each other with their children, the two appeared to barely exchange a word."

According to the biographers, the tension between Kate and Meghan was really an offshoot of the conflict between Harry and the institution.

And things came to a head during one of the Sussexes' final engagements, a Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey, which the book claims confirmed the decision to step down as senior royals was the right one.

Of the service, the writers said: "Although Meghan tried to make eye contact with Kate, the duchess barely acknowledged her."

Harry and Meghan are now living in the US after quitting the royal family.

Body language expert Judi James previously told Fabulous things had turned "awkward" between the sisters-in-law.

The Telegraph today also reported claims that Meghan could behave in a "very self-centred" way during her time as a royal.

A source said: "Meghan is clearly someone who knows what she  wants and is very self-assured. But that made her very difficult to work for."