Prince Harry's claims he is making sure the Queen is 'protected' may have been sparked after seeing Prince Andrew escorting Her Majesty to Prince Philip's memorial, Buckingham Palace aides have claimed. 

The Duke of Sussex, 37, claimed last week that  he was making sure his grandmother has 'the right people around her' in an interview with US TV host Hoda Kotb from the Invictus Games in The Hague. 

Some royal watchers first took his comments as a dig at his father and brother, branding his 'delusional', while others said he may have been taking aim at private secretary Sir Edward Young or her dresser Angela Kelly.

However, insiders at Buckingham Palace have now claimed it was instead aimed at Prince Andrew, who has been embroiled in scandal due to his friendship with late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. 

A Buckingham Palace source told the

'Harry is familiar with the Queen's aides and there is no animosity at all. The Palace were aware he might do an interview, but no one was expecting those sorts of comments.'

The source added that Prince Harry seemed to imply he was worried for the Queen's safety which may be due to her closeness to Andrew in recent months.

They also said the Duke of York is trying to keep a low profile after the enormous damage that he has done to the monarchy so Palace officials were determined to deflect Harry's comments away from him.

Harry's interview with NBC attracted a wave of criticism from royal watchers and fans.

Royal biographer Tom Bower said: 'He is not only targeting Charles and William but also Edward Young, her private secretary.'

Mr Bower added that Harry's full demands have been 'rebuffed' and that his NBC interview was a way of 'hitting out' at those standing in the way of promoting the .

Prince Andrew has been condemned worldwide for his close friendship and association with deceased paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

But the Queen is said to have been more forgiving about his relationship with him.  

It comes after Andrew earlier this year agreed a multi-million pound settlement with Virginia Giuffre.

Ms Giuffre had accused him of sexually abusing her on three separate occasions, including when she was 17.

The Duke of York has repeatedly denied the accusations.