Prince Harry wanted Archie to be 'best friends' with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis

Prince Harry wanted his son Archie to be "best friends" with his nephews Prince George and Prince Louis, and niece Princess Charlotte, a new book has claimed.

• Prince Harry wanted his son Archie to be "best friends" with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, according to a new book, Finding Freedom.
• However, Harry and Meghan Markle's nephews and nieces have only met their cousin a handful of times
• In other royal news, Prince William revealed the worst present he’s ever given Kate Middleton - and it "didn't go well"

Despite reports of a rift between Harry and Meghan Markle and his brother and sister-in-law the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, he apparently always imagined the families remaining close.

In their new book, Finding Freedom, royal authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand claim that Harry "had an image of getting married and spending time with William and Kate, the two couples together, their children best friends".

Before he met Meghan, Harry lived in an apartment at Kensington Palace, meaning he was very close by to the Cambridges, and would often visit and bring the children gifts.

But the book claims Prince William, Kate Middleton and their children failed to once visit Harry and Meghan during their time living in Oxfordshire up until March 2019, despite the fact that "the invite was there," a source told the authors.

READ MORE: Prince William says Prince George would definitely do a great job in this career

They go on to claim that overtime Harry had grown away from the idea of spending so much time with his brother.

The book claims, "Everywhere you turn, you’re surrounded by staff and family. He was at a point in his life where he was working with his brother, doing the foundation with his brother and living by his brother. It was too much."

It has been reported that Archie has only met his cousins, George, Charlotte and Louis, a handful of times, and William and Kate chose to meet their nephew without the kids when he was born.

Both sets of families were photographed together at a polo match William and Harry took part in last July - which the brothers deny they had a big row at on the eve of the event - and it seems that was one of the only times Archie ever met his cousins.