New details have emerged about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s past crushes.

According to US writer Ian Halperin, Prince Harry was “infatuated” with Jennifer Aniston for years before he married Meghan Markle last year.

The claim is made in a new book and documentary about the actress, which also alleges that Harry got Aniston’s phone number and texted her emojis.

Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on the claims, while a spokesperson for Aniston denied them, insisting they are false.

Halperin later said he stands by “everything in the film and book”.

It has also emerged that Meghan Markle is linked with Harry’s former celebrity crush.

The California native made a 30-second cameo in Aniston’s 2011 movie Horrible Bosses and reportedly got to meet her at parties.

In a 2013 interview with Xpose, Meghan described Aniston as “lovely” and “so real, so refreshing”.

The following year, she said she was such a fan of Aniston that she wanted to have a career like hers.

Meghan told the Chicago Sun-Times’ Sunday magazine in 2014: “I grew up loving all those Jennifer Aniston movies like ‘Picture Perfect’. That’s the trajectory I would love to be on.”

Unlike Aniston, however, Meghan’s career as an actress ended when she met Prince Harry in July 2016.

As a member of the Royal Family, working is considered “frowned upon”.

Alison Eastwood, editor-in-chief of Hello! Canada, said: “There’s no royal decree stipulating that once you become a member of the Royal Family, you must forgo other professional activities.

“It’s not written in the royal rule book, but the fact is it becomes completely impractical to sustain once you are a working member of the Royal Family.”

The level of scrutiny and security alone make it prohibitive, she added.

Neither Harry nor Meghan has commented on the revelations.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are currently on a royal tour of South Africa with their son Archie.

They have already visited a township near Cape Town, where they met children and danced with them, and will visit a number of other locations over the next few days.

The tour is Harry and Meghan’s first official overseas trip as a family.

The couple has faced intense media scrutiny over the past few months, with many reports focusing on their relationship with the press and their use of private jets.

Harry has also launched legal action against several newspapers over alleged phone hacking and invasion of privacy.

In a statement last week, the Duke accused the press of waging a “ruthless” campaign against his wife.

“I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces,” he said.

“We thank you, the public, for your continued support.”

The couple’s supporters have launched a social media campaign using the hashtag #WeLoveYouMeghan in response to the media coverage.

A number of high-profile figures, including Ellen DeGeneres and Hillary Clinton, have also spoken out in support of Meghan.

DeGeneres tweeted: “Portia and I met Prince Harry and Meghan in England to talk about their work on wildlife conservation.

They were the most down-to-earth, compassionate people.

Imagine being attacked for everything you do, when all you’re trying to do is make the world better.”