William and Kate in Merseyside on first official engagement since release of Harry’s memoir

The Prince and Princess of Wales will travel to Merseyside to meet healthcare workers during their first official engagement since the Duke of Sussex’s controversial memoir was published.

William and Kate will thank the staff for their efforts during the winter months, which are routinely a challenging period for the NHS, and also meet individuals working in mental health support services in the county.

Harry’s bombshell publication Spare – the fastest selling non-fiction book in history – sparked a furore over claims William physically attacked him, while his admission he killed 25 Taliban members during the Afghanistan war generated protests in Helmand province over the weekend.

The Queen Consort, described by the Duke of Sussex in interviews as “dangerous” and criticised for attempting to rehabilitate her “image” at his cost, suggested Harry become governor general of Bermuda to escape the “maelstrom” of press interest, the book claims.

It also reveals claims about the fractious relationship between the King and his heir the Prince of Wales, with Harry recounting how William while “way too upset” rang him to say: “Pa and Camilla’s people had planted a story or stories about him and Kate and the kids.”

Charles will also carry out his first official engagement since the book went on sale on Thursday, visiting the community of Aboyne, close to the late Queen’s Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire, to tour the Aboyne and Mid Deeside Community Shed and meet local hardship support groups.

A YouGov survey has found the popularity of Harry has fallen since his book was published, with 68% of 1,691 adults polled on Tuesday and Wednesday having a negative opinion about him while 24% thought positively of him.

The online research data group said the figures meant the duke had his lowest ever net favourability rating of minus 44, down from minus 38 last week, which had been his previous record low.

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