Prince Harry "preferred not to be in" the same room as stepmother Queen Camilla during his flying visit to see his cancer-stricken father King Charles, it has been claimed.
The comment has come in a column published in UK paper The Telegraph and written by long-term friend of Camilla's, Petronella Wyatt.
The former journalist wrote: "Harry, I hear, preferred not to be in the same room with his stepmother when he spoke to the King", a comment that will likely continue to stoke rumours of a rift with Harry and the Queen.
It has not been made clear if Harry's apparent request was granted.
The duke has previously hinted at troubles between himself and Camilla, writing in his memoir Spare that she had leaked stories about the royal family as part of a campaign to move public perception of her away from being the third person in the Charles and Diana marriage.
"I have complex feelings about gaining a step-parent who I thought had recently sacrificed me on her personal PR altar," Harry wrote in Spare.
"I even wanted Camilla to be happy. Maybe she'd be less dangerous if she was happy."
After Charles' cancer diagnosis was made public, it was revealed Harry had flown over to see his father and ended up spending only 30 minutes with the King as he offered support.
Royal expert Robert Jobson claimed the reunion visit between father and estranged son was kept short because doctors were concerned any prolonged interaction between the pair could have led to further health issues.
He told tabloid The Sun: "You don't want his blood pressure going up. The King's not very well, whatever type of cancer it is, he's undergoing treatment.
"The best thing for him is calm. After the initial kiss and hug, 'Love you dad, hope you get better soon', what issues are going to get raised? Things that will get your blood pressure rising."
