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Prince Harry reportedly claims he was physically attacked by his brother William during a row over his marriage to Meghan Markle.

The Guardian has obtained a copy of Spare – the Duke of Sussex’s highly anticipated book – days before it was due to hit the shelves.

In a leaked extract, it is alleged that the Prince of Wales grabbed his brother and ripped his necklace before knocking him to the floor.

Watch our Q&A on Harry, his upcoming book and the royal row – live on Sky News at 7pm

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Prince Harry wants his father ‘back’


Harry goes on to claim that William had called the American actress “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive”.

“It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me,” Harry reportedly wrote in the book.

“I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out,” the excerpt continued.

The incident allegedly took place at Nottingham Cottage back in 2019 when Harry was living there and started when William arrived and complained about Meghan.

Sky News has approached Buckingham Palace, while Kensington Palace has said it will not be commenting on the allegations.

Read more:
Harry and Meghan’s wedding album – new pictures revealed
Prince Harry’s ability to step in for the King challenged
What to expect from Prince Harry’s memoir

Sky News’ royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills said that these are “very serious allegations”.

She said: “We know in 2019 that the relationship between the two brothers was falling apart, so it wasn’t unexpected to hear that they were not getting along then. But it is shocking to be given this much personal detail.

“In the past there have been criticisms of Harry that he has made damning allegations of racism within the palace or allegations that they have not taken Meghan’s mental health seriously enough and some suggestions that they haven’t gone far enough in naming specifics.

“It seems that Harry, in this book, is not holding back.”

‘You don’t need to tell Meg about this’

Harry writes that his brother was not being rational and they both started shouting at each other, exchanging insults, before William claimed he was trying to help.

“Are you serious? Help me? Sorry – is that what you call this? Helping me?,” Harry said, according to The Guardian’s copy.

His comment supposedly angered William, and the alleged altercation took place after he offered him a glass of water.

Harry added that William urged him to hit back, before leaving and then returning “looking regretful and apologised”.

When he left again, Harry said he “turned and called back: ‘You don’t need to tell Meg about this.'”

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Royals braced for Prince Harry book

Harry told his therapist about the incident first

He goes on to explain that he didn’t immediately tell his wife, but did tell her of the incident after she noticed “scrapes and bruises” on his back.

However, he claimed to have told his therapist first.

The book – which is entitled after the phrase “heir and a spare” – also delves into Harry’s childhood, his school, his career as a royal and the relationship he shares with his parents and brother.

He recounts memories of his mother Princess Diana, who was killed in a car crash in 1997, and the Queen, who died last year.

Spare, which is due to be released on 10 January, comes after the prince’s recent Netflix documentary into his life with Meghan and their decision to leave the Royal Family.

In the series, it was revealed Meghan suffered a miscarriage, which Harry said was caused by the stress put on her as a result of their lawsuit against the Daily Mail’s parent company, and had suicidal thoughts.

He also claimed that William broke a promise to him never to leak stories or brief against one another after witnessing the fallout of such actions in their father’s office.

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Harry and Meghan: Key takeaways

‘I want a family – not an institution’

The duke’s extraordinary book claims come after the release of a teaser trailer from an ITV interview in which Harry said he wants his father and brother back.

The interview, due to be released on Sunday, will be broadcast two days before Spare is published around the world.

In a series of clips from his ITV conversation, Harry tells presenter Tom Bradby: “It never needed to be this way”, and refers to “the leaking and the planting” before adding: “I want a family, not an institution.”

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But in a separate interview with CBS News, set to air the same day, Harry also criticises Buckingham Palace over an alleged failure to defend him and the Duchess of Sussex, before they stepped down as senior royals.

The duke also reveals to the US broadcaster that he would not return to the institution as a full-time royal.

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Labour MP Dan Norris arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences

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Labour MP Dan Norris arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences

Labour MP Dan Norris has been arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Dan Norris MP was immediately suspended by the Labour Party upon being informed of his arrest.

“We cannot comment further while the police investigation is ongoing.”

Police said a man in his 60s had been arrested on Friday on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl, rape, child abduction and misconduct in a public office.

Sky News has contacted Mr Norris for comment.

Mr Norris, 65, defeated Jacob Rees-Mogg to win the new seat of North East Somerset and Hanham in last year’s general election.

He has also lost the party whip in the House of Commons and has stepped down from his role as chair of the League Against Cruel Sports.

Avon and Somerset Police said in a statement: “In December 2024, we received a referral from another police force relating to alleged non-recent child sex offences having been committed against a girl.

“Most of the offences are alleged to have occurred in the 2000s, but we’re also investigating an alleged offence of rape from the 2020s.

“An investigation, led by officers within Operation Bluestone, our dedicated rape and serious sexual assault investigation team, remains ongoing and at an early stage.

“The victim is being supported and given access to any specialist help or support she needs.

“A man, aged in his 60s, was arrested on Friday (April 4) on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl (under the Sexual Offences Act 1956), rape (under the Sexual Offences Act 2003), child abduction and misconduct in a public office. He’s been released on conditional bail for enquiries to continue.

“This is an active and sensitive investigation, so we’d respectfully ask people not to speculate on the circumstances so our enquiries can continue unhindered.”

Mr Norris first entered Parliament when Tony Blair came to power in 1997 and served as the Wansdyke MP until 2010.

He was an assistant whip under Mr Blair and served as a junior minister under Gordon Brown.

Mr Norris has also been West of England mayor since 2021 but is due to step down ahead of May’s local elections.

A spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports, a UK-based animal welfare charity which campaigns to end sports such as fox hunting and game bird shooting, confirmed he had stepped down from his role.

“The charity cannot comment further while an investigation is ongoing,” a statement said.

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Jaguar Land Rover to ‘pause’ US shipments over Donald Trump tariffs

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Jaguar Land Rover to 'pause' US shipments over Donald Trump tariffs

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has said it will “pause” shipments to the US as the British car firm works to “address the new trading terms” of Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The US president has introduced a 25% levy on all foreign cars imported into the country, which came into force on Thursday.

JLR, one of the country’s biggest carmakers, exported about 38,000 cars to the US in the third quarter of 2024 – almost equal to the amount sold to the UK and the EU combined.

Follow live updates: Trump’s baseline 10% tariff kicks in

In a statement on Saturday, a spokesperson for the company behind the Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover brands said: “The USA is an important market for JLR’s luxury brands.

“As we work to address the new trading terms with our business partners, we are taking some short-term actions including a shipment pause in April, as we develop our mid- to longer-term plans.”

The company released a statement last week before Mr Trump announced a “baseline” 10% tariff on goods from around the world, which kicked in on Saturday morning, on what he called “liberation day”.

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JLR reassured customers its business was “resilient” and “accustomed to changing market conditions”.

“Our priorities now are delivering for our clients around the world and addressing these new US trading terms,” the firm said.

Trading across the world has been hit by Mr Trump’s tariff announcement at the White House on Wednesday.

All but one stock on the FTSE 100 fell on Friday – with Rolls-Royce, banks and miners among those to suffer the sharpest losses.

Read more: A red wall on Wall Street – but Trump seems to believe it will work out

Cars are the top product exported from the UK to the US, with exports worth £8.3bn in the year to the end of September 2024, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

For UK carmakers, the US is the second largest export market behind the European Union.

Industry groups have previously warned the tariffs will force firms to rethink where they trade, while a report by thinktank the Institute for Public Policy Research said more than 25,000 car manufacturing jobs in the UK could be at risk.

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Two people die after caravan fire at holiday park in Lincolnshire

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Two people die after caravan fire at holiday park in Lincolnshire

Two people have died following a fire at a caravan site near Skegness, Lincolnshire Police have said.

In a statement, officers said they were called at 3.53am on Saturday to a report of a blaze at Golden Beach Holiday Park in the village of Ingoldmells.

Fire and rescue crews attended the scene, and two people were found to have died.

They were reported to be a 10-year-old girl and a 48-year-old man.

The force said the victims’ next of kin have been informed and will be supported by specially trained officers.

Officers are trying to establish the exact cause of the blaze.

“We are at the very early stages of our investigation and as such we are keeping an open mind,” the force said.

Two fire crews remain at the scene.

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