During Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey earlier this year, the Duchess of Sussex claimed that a senior member of the Royal Family had questioned the complexion of their first child, Archie, before His birth.

“What? Who is having this conversation with you? What?” Oprah asked at the time.

“I think it would be very damaging to them,” Markle replied. “It came to me, it was Harry’s conversations with the family.”

According to New York Post, the next book by American journalist and author Christopher Andersen, Brothers and wives: in the private lives of William, Kate, Harry and Meghan details a source who suggested Prince Charles had brought up the subject.

Prince Charles is said to have sat down for breakfast on November 27, 2017 following the engagement of Markle and Prince Harry. He asked his wife, Camilla: “I wonder what the children will be like?

The book says Camilla was “a little baffled” by the question and replied, “Well, absolutely gorgeous, I’m sure.” Charles lowered his voice and asked, “I mean, what do you think their children’s skin tone might be?”

Andersen didn’t go so far as to name Prince Charles as the family member Markle accused in his interview with Winfrey. “Charles’ question echoed less innocently in the halls of Buckingham Palace,” Anderson writes in the book, which comes out on November 30.

Prince William reportedly called the comment “a lack of tact” but “no sign of racism within the family”.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not respond to requests for comment, but a spokesperson for Prince Charles told the publication: “This is fiction and does not merit further comment.”

More explosive statements are expected to be released as the book comes out this week. Stay tuned for further developments.