Some fans were waiting at midnight to get their hands on ‘Spare’ (Picture: Glenn Gratton / W8media)

Prince Harry superfans queued up to get their first copies of his new book outside stores at midnight.

However it wasn’t what the Duke might have hoped as only a handful of faithful Royalists turned out to get copies of ‘Spare’.

A number of bookshops extended their opening hours in expectation of a midnight rush to purchase the book.

With demand expected to be high, WHSmith, the retailer, said it was extending opening hours at a number of its shops to allow readers to pick up an early copy of the 417-page book.

Professor Imafidon was first in line (Picture: Glenn Gratton / W8media)

Professor Chris Imafidon was the first in line in Victoria Station (Picture: Glenn Gratton / W8media)

Staff at WH Smith opened up at midnight (Picture: Glenn Gratton / W8media)

Some fans were over the moon with the new book (Picture: Glenn Gratton / W8media)

Around 400 copies were delivered to the WH Smith in Victoria (Picture: Glenn Gratton / W8media)

Stores were open at midnight and were anticipating a big queue (Picture: Glenn Gratton / W8media)

There was a midnight rush for the book (Picture: Glenn Gratton / W8media)

It is the first time the book has been available in the UK (Picture: Glenn Gratton / W8media)

Staff had to work overtime to stock shelves with the book (Picture: Glenn Gratton / W8media)

Around 10 shops across the country, including those at Heathrow and Gatwick airports and Victoria and Euston railway stations, would stay open into the night to welcome shoppers.

Professor Chris Imafidon was among some of the first people to get a copy from the WH Smith in Victoria station.

The shop had hoped that Harry fans would flock to their store, with 400 books delivered before midnight.

However only 12 were sold – three to Prof Imafidon – and the others to a small number of late night travellers passing by.

‘Spare’ is also half-price (£14) at a number of stores, but after it was released in Spain last week ahead of the official release date large parts of the text have already been leaked.

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Only a dozen copies of the book were sold in one store at midnight despite staff expecting queues at the door.