New Delhi, March 15 -- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have pushed back against explosive allegations made in a new royal book, dismissing them as "deranged conspiracy and melodrama."

The couple's response came after excerpts from Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family by author Tom Bower surfaced.

In a statement to Page Six, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex criticized Bower's claims.

"Mr Bower's commentary has long crossed the line from criticism into fixation. This is someone who has publicly stated, 'The monarchy in fact depends on actually obliterating the Sussexes from our state of life,' language that speaks for itself," the spokesperson said.

The statement continued: "[Bower] ha...