Clarence House dismisses claims Charles speculated about Sussex baby’s skin tone

File photo dated 25/09/2019 of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex holding their son Archie during a meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The Duchess of Sussex gave birth to a 7lb 11oz daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, on Friday in California and both mother and child are healthy and well, Meghan’s press secretary said. (PA) (PA Wire)

Clarence House has dismissed as “fiction” claims in a new book the Prince of Wales was the royal who speculated on the skin colour of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s future children.

American author Christopher Andersen alleges in his book Charles made the comment on the day Harry and Meghan’s engagement was announced in November 2017.

In Andersen’s book, Brothers And Wives: Inside The Private Lives of William, Kate, Harry and Meghan he writes the prince said to the Duchess of Cornwall “I wonder what the children will look like?”, the New York Post’s Page Six website reported.

Harry and Meghan during their Oprah Winfrey interview. Harpo Productions /Joe Pugliese (PA Media)

When Camilla replied “Well, absolutely gorgeous, I’m certain,” the book claims Charles went on to say “I mean, what do you think their children’s complexion might be?”

A Clarence House spokesman said “This is fiction and not worth further comment”.

Harry and Meghan accused a member of the royal family – not the Queen or Duke of Edinburgh – of racism in shocking claims made during their Oprah Winfrey interview earlier this year.

Meghan said, when she was pregnant with Archie, an unnamed member of the royal family raised “concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born”.

Asked whether there were concerns that her child would be “too brown” and that would be a problem, the duchess said: “If that is the assumption you are making, that is a pretty safe one.”

The Prince of Wales has flown to Barbados to give a speech during the swearing in of the nation’s first president (Daniel Leal/PA) (PA Wire)

Pushed by Winfrey on who had those conversations, Meghan refused to say, adding: “I think that would be very damaging to them.”

Harry refused to give further details, adding: “That conversation, I am never going to share. At the time it was awkward, I was a bit shocked.”

Charles has arrived in Barbados ahead of a historic ceremony which will see the country swear in its first president and formally end the Queen’s role as its head of state.

Watch: Prince Charles lands in Barbados

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