A newly released biography about Prince Harry has sparked controversy after claims that Queen Camilla allegedly told a friend that the prince had been “brainwashed” by his wife Meghan Markle.

In response, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Saturday dismissed the book as a “deranged conspiracy,” strongly criticizing its author.

The claims appear in extracts from a new book by royal biographer Tom Bower, published in The Times newspaper. Bower wrote that tensions between Harry and other members of the British royal family began shortly after the couple’s high-profile wedding in 2018.

Harry and Meghan stepped back from their roles as senior working royals in 2020 and moved to California in the United States. Since then, the pair have been largely estranged from the rest of the royal family, though they continue to attract significant public attention both in Britain and internationally.

According to the book’s excerpts, Harry’s older brother Prince William and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales were reportedly concerned about Meghan’s influence on the prince and viewed her as a potential threat to family unity.

The biography also references the downfall of Harry’s uncle, Prince Andrew, who lost his royal titles and stepped back from public duties following controversy over his links to the late convicted U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. According to the author, Harry feared he might also be pushed aside within the royal family.

Responding to the claims, 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 in a statement.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment on behalf of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, while representatives for Prince William and Catherine also did not immediately respond to the report.