Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been urged to speak out and end their silence after their “mouthpiece” Omid Scobie reignited a royal race row with the publication of his new book.
King Charles and Kate Middleton have been named as royals who are said to have made comments about Prince Archie’s skin color in a Dutch translation of Scobie’s new book Endgame. Their names were then published by the BBC on Friday morning.
Sources close to the Duchess of Sussex, who allegedly wrote down the names of the two family members in letters to King Charles, insisted that she “never intended them to be revealed publicly” and that this “was not passed on to Mr Scobie “was by someone in their camp,” the Telegraph reports.
But a source close to the royal family has now called on Harry and Meghan to speak publicly on the issue.
The source told the newspaper: “For the couple who spoke about ‘death by a thousand no comments’, the silence at this point is deafening.”
Another insider added that the decision not to respond was “interesting” given the Sussexes’ previous complaints about not receiving support when faced with negative press reports.
King Charles (pictured at COP28 in Dubai) is reportedly considering all options, including legal action
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (pictured in Sydney in 2018) have been urged to break their silence as the row continues
Endgame author Omid Scobie (pictured on Thursday on This Morning) has refused to apologize to the royals involved
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the comments made before the birth of a child as “not remotely racist” and insisted they were “completely innocent and completely normal”.
Meanwhile, Sir Trevor Phillips, the former head of the Racial Equality Commission, called it a “nonsense story” and said the comments were “a sign of upset, I suspect”.
The king is said to be taking the furor over the book “very seriously” and will consult senior advisers next week on the family’s next move, with “all options” including legal action to be considered.
The Mail understands that Buckingham Palace has been investigating internally who might have seen the letters from their end.
They are considered so deeply personal that only a “tiny handful” of people are believed to have seen them and there is “extreme certainty” that the leak did not come from them.
It comes as Scobie, appearing on the BBC’s flagship show Newsnight, said he was “hurt” and “frustrated” by the week’s events.
But he refused to apologize to the royals involved, saying: “It’s not my job to apologize because I still want to know what happened.” He had previously called it a “translation error” but said that an “investigation” has now been initiated.
The king (pictured at COP28 in Dubai) is taking the furor over Omid Scobie’s book “very seriously” and will consult senior advisers next week on the family’s next move
Scobie, appearing on the BBC’s flagship program Newsnight (pictured), said he was “hurt” and “frustrated” by the week’s events
The two royals were identified as Meghan-identified in a Dutch-language edition of the poorly reviewed Endgame (pictured) amid claims they had expressed “concern” about the color of their future son’s skin
Sources close to the Duchess of Sussex, who allegedly wrote down the names of the two family members in letters to King Charles, insisted that she “never intended to name them publicly” and that this “was not leaked to Mr. Scobie.” be anyone in their camp,” according to the Telegraph
The King was due to return to the UK last night from Dubai, where he gave a widely-watched keynote speech at the COP28 climate change conference, and head straight to his Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
Aides were desperate not to let the furore derail his big moment, but will resume talks next week about where to go next.
It is understood they have been “very encouraged” by the favorable public reaction to Scobie’s revelations, which could have an impact on their final decision.
Although billed as a look “into the royal family and the monarchy’s fight for survival,” Endgame’s relentlessly ferocious tone attacks the Princess of Wales – whom the author describes as a “docile” Stepford wife and part-time queen – of her devotion her children – was heavily criticized and received a lot of tongue-in-cheek brutal reviews.
On Newsnight, Scobie took the extraordinary step of swearing on “the lives of my family” that the leak of the names was not a “stunt” to delay further books.
He said he was “hurt” by the suggestion and dismissed it as a conspiracy theory from people who wanted to believe he was “in cahoots” with the Duchess of Sussex.
Advisers were keen not to let the furor derail Charles’ big moment at Cop28, but will resume talks next week about where to go next
The original claim was made by Meghan Markle in the Sussexes’ infamous 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview (pictured), when she revealed that there had been “multiple conversations” between her, Harry and members of the royal family about “how dark” Archie was would be
Dutch translators Saskia Peeters (left) and Nellie Keukelaar-van Rijsbergern (right), who worked on Omid Scobie’s controversial book, have insisted that the names of two royals at the center of the racism scandal were in the manuscript, which was sent to them
Her claims appear to contradict those of Scobie (pictured on This Morning), who insisted he had not named the two royals
He claimed, obviously choosing his words carefully: “I’m as frustrated as anyone.” “The book I wrote, the book I edited, the book I signed didn’t have any names in it.”
However, the Mail revealed this week that one of the two highly experienced translators responsible for the Dutch edition insisted she had been given a manuscript with “the names of the royals there in black and white”.
And her co-translator said it was “unfair” to blame them.
Significantly, the Dutch version also omitted the legal explanation for not naming the royals contained in the English-language edition.
Many in the industry believe the only reasonable explanation is that the Dutch publisher received an early manuscript before it was seen and approved by lawyers.
Newsnight interviewer Victoria Derbyshire said to Scobie: “In one version you must have put the names in, and the wrong version may have gone to the rights people around the world, I assume.” Scobie responded to not this point.
He claimed he was still “proud” of his book.
The alleged racist comments concerned “concerns” about Prince Archie’s skin color
The inclusion of the names resulted in 5,000 copies of the book – called Final Battle in Holland (pictured) – being taken off the bookshelf and pulped
Royal insiders told the Mail that there was complete “unity” between Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace over their response to the incident, which was described as deeply “disturbing”.
There is also great sadness and anger at what has been described as a “terrible injustice” for those involved.
King Charles spent his life promoting interfaith and cultural harmony and, through his charity the Prince’s Trust, helped thousands of young people, many from disadvantaged communities and ethnic minorities, to fulfill their potential.
But the king and princess have shown their courage by continuing their schedule of public appearances and planning several engagements for next week, including recording Kate’s now-annual carol service at Westminster Abbey.
Security Minister Tom Tugendhat described the claims as “nonsense” and “unproven”.
He told Talk TV: “The King has done an outstanding job for us, not just in the last year since he has been King, but he has fought for the interests of the people absolutely fantastically for many, many years as Prince of Wales.”
“Frankly, I see this as just a rumor, hearsay and an attempt to disparage someone who has served our country for many, many years with enormous dignity and enormous seriousness.”
REBECCA ENGLISH: When King Charles lands back in the UK from Dubai, there will be no time for quiet reflection… instead he will be forced to think about facing another Sussex-shaped storm cloud on the horizon amid Omid Scobie’s book encounter wants to fail
The King was due to return to Sandringham last night, having flown straight to the country fresh from his well-received speech in Dubai.
As is his habit at this time of year, he plans to spend the weekend strolling around the late Queen’s beloved Norfolk estate, wearing his favorite patched green tweed jacket and hat and carrying a pair of garden shears.
It should be a time to quietly reflect on the good work he has done in the United Arab Emirates, where he was the only foreign leader invited to the annual United Nations climate change conference.
At age 75, Charles also managed to complete about half a dozen bilateral meetings with world leaders, discussing everything from net zero to the Middle East crisis.
Instead he will be forced to spend a rare moment of leisure contemplating how he will face another Sussex-shaped storm cloud on the horizon.
King Charles (at Cop28) will be forced to spend a rare moment of leisure contemplating how he will face another Sussex-shaped storm cloud on the horizon
It was Meghan who first claimed that family members had expressed “concerns” about “how dark” Archie would be
The row over who said what has been lurking in the royal family’s rearview mirror since Meghan first held conversations with family members on “weapons” in which Harry was said to have “concerns” about “how dark” her son’s skin might be and what that would “potentially” mean for the family.
Although the word racism was not used in her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, the conclusion was clear (Harry himself used the phrase “unconscious bias” to describe it earlier this year, and predictably – laughably – gave “the British” blame for the resulting upset Press’).
It is fair to say that the worldwide uproar caused by Omid Scobie’s “poisonous” book about the royal family and the appointment of two members of the royal family – reportedly the King himself and the Princess of Wales – in a Dutch-language edition of ” Endgame” was rekindled, a major success, an “unwelcome” distraction for His Majesty in an extremely important week for him as an international statesman.
Although it was already leaked last weekend that Scobie was referring to two members of the royal family rather than just one, palace officials had hoped the revelation would be a tempest in the tea and refused to dwell on the subject.
All that changed on Tuesday when a local journalist in the Netherlands revealed that the names were included in the Dutch-language edition of the book.
The journalist later told me that he had had a review copy for a week, waiting for the embargo to be lifted, and couldn’t understand why British news websites weren’t publishing the same “guides” he was.
An hour later, he received a panicked call from a small local publisher demanding that he remove his story about “Koning Charles” from the Libelle website, which he refused because the translation had made a huge mistake.
Scobie, appearing on the BBC’s flagship program Newsnight (pictured), said he was “hurt” and “frustrated” by the week’s events
I was the first journalist to contact the publisher Xander Uitgevers, who personally confirmed that it was true. I was also the first to call Buckingham Palace to break the news and seek comment.
It’s fair to say her reaction was one of quiet shock. Many will wonder why royal advisers did not immediately seek an injunction on the book.
But it was a rapidly evolving situation and there was great confusion as to how it could have happened in the first place.
Was this a “translation error”, as was initially claimed, or did Scobie – as is now likely – deliberately intend at the beginning of his project to “out” the royals concerned before he was warned off by lawyers who over the Strict libel laws of the United Kingdom were concerned.
Unfortunately for him – as the Mail exclusively revealed this week – an early draft of his manuscript appeared to have been sent to the two completely innocent (and extremely experienced) Dutch translators, who faithfully reproduced what had been given to them.
For the first 48 hours, the palace took the line of no comment.
It was clear they wanted to see how it would land, although talks were already underway between London and Dubai, where the royal team’s vanguard had just landed.
And it was equally clear that officials were desperate that the scandal failed to derail the king’s big COP28 moment. As one source said: “Sometimes the palace has to act very quickly and sometimes it has to act carefully and with great deliberation.” This was one of those moments.
It was equally clear that officials were desperate that the scandal failed to derail the king’s big COP28 moment
“Queen Elizabeth took three days after the Oprah interview to make a rare public statement because she and her advisers recognized that, given the seriousness of the allegations made, she should not be forced to do anything based on the headlines.” It was a sign of Caution to excess, and when she spoke, people listened.”
However, what became abundantly clear to me from speaking to several contacts is that there was no “push-back” on the proposed names.
I was also told that Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace acted with complete “unity” on this matter.
On Wednesday evening, talk TV presenter Piers Morgan took it upon himself to name the King and Kate, dramatically upping the ante.
The next morning I was told clearly and unequivocally that the palace was now “considering all options,” including the possibility of an appeal.
Although it is highly unusual for Buckingham Palace to take such a route, an informed source advised me that it was not unusual.
They recalled three occasions on which the palace had hired lawyers, all of which were successful: the Sun’s suggestion that the late Queen supported Brexit (for which a front-page apology was secured), and William and Kate’s lawsuit against a French magazine over topless photos of the then Duchess and the King’s Supreme Court are at loggerheads over the publication of travel diaries.
“The palace doesn’t do this lightly, but there is a precedent.” And they won,” my source said.
I understand that officials have also launched a behind-the-scenes investigation this week to find out who, if anyone, had access to the letters exchanged between the monarch and the Duchess of Sussex about her allegations, or even one takes a look at it. They were considered so personal and deeply private that all but a “tiny handful” of family members and staff saw them.
The result? There is “extreme confidence” in the palace that the leak “did not come from us”.
Of course, that’s exactly what the Duchess of Sussex also revealed through her own sources, insisting that she never “intended” for the names to be published and that no one from her team was aware of the contents of the letters Scobie passed on.
The public must decide which version of events they believe.
I fully understand that “memories may vary here too.”
Despite the accusations of “unconscious bias” raised by Meghan in her letters, a well-informed source tells me firmly: “It’s just one person’s version, one side of the story.”
This strongly suggests that behind palace walls, those at the center of events strongly deny that anything of the kind was even said – or could be considered offensive.
Interestingly, although Meghan used the word “concern” in her interview, it was not repeated by a decidedly uncomfortable-looking Harry, who simply said it was an “uncomfortable” conversation.
What’s next? I was told that despite the turmoil, the palace’s main focus was getting through COP28 and the King’s important appearance.
But talks will begin again in earnest next week when the team are back at Buckingham Palace to discuss their next move.
They are taking the matter “extremely seriously” and legal action is still not ruled out.
There is also great sadness and anger at what I have described as a “terrible injustice” to those involved. Some believe the royal family should publicly address such mendacious slanders once and for all.
But of course that carries the risk of another, very public argument with the Sussexes, who, for once, gave the impression that they just wanted to put the whole matter behind them.
One thing is certain: the alleged Christmas dinner invitation for Harry and Meghan seems extremely unlikely.