Two members of the royal family appear to have been named as “royal racists” in the Dutch translation of Omid Scobie’s new book Endgame, it was claimed today.
Dutch royal journalist Rick Evers revealed on ITV’s Good Morning Britain that the first name was “very specific” while the second was “a bit vague”.
This comes after Mr Scobie’s book was withdrawn from sale in the Netherlands yesterday after it appeared to name one of the “royal racists”. The author’s Dutch publishers said they were told by US bosses to “put the sale on hold” at the last minute.
Thousands of copies of Endgame, released worldwide yesterday to scathing reviews for its vindictiveness against the royal family, are in danger of being canceled.
In the English-language edition, Mr Scobie does not mention the name of the royal accused by Meghan of having expressed “concern” about the color of her future son Archie’s skin.
However, the book claims that in her letters discussing the situation, the Duchess claims that a second person in the royal household made similar comments.
Omid Scobie appears on ABC’s Nightline, which aired in the US earlier today
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with their children Archie and Lilibet in December 2021
Dutch royal journalist Rick Evers revealed on ITV’s Good Morning Britain today (pictured) that the first name in the book was “very specific” while the second was “a bit vague”.
In the English version, Mr Scobie says he knows both people’s names but “the laws in the UK prevent me from reporting who they were”. The same sentence is in the Italian edition.
Omid Scobie’s new book “Endgame” about the royal family was released this week
However, a page from a review copy of the book sent to Dutch journalists this week clearly points the finger at a high-ranking royal.
Referring to the letters in which the issue was discussed, it dramatically states: “But in these private letters an identity was revealed and confirmed: [The Mail has redacted the name concerned and will not be repeating it].’
It is unclear why a foreign language version of the book names a specific person when other editions apparently do not. And it should be emphasized that there is no evidence that the claim itself is true.
Mr Evers, who first revealed yesterday that the book had identified one of the “royal racists”, told Good Morning Britain today: “The names of two senior royals are mentioned in the book.”
Presenter Richard Madeley then asked: “Can I clarify, there are two names in the book?”
Omid Scobie is pictured outside the Good Morning America studios in New York yesterday
And Mr. Evers replied, “Yes, the first question is very specific.” The second question is a little vague if that person is really involved in the story. But the first is very clear and the official statement was that it was a translation problem. There is some debate about how these passages were presented in the book. I would say, how could you mistranslate a name?
Mr Madeley then said: “Well, I wanted to ask you how to mistranslate a name.” You can mistranslate a word or a phrase, but a name? Do you buy the publishers’ explanation that it is a translation error?
Mr. Evers replied, “I can’t believe it.” I reviewed the book with one of your colleagues and noticed that some passages were missing from the English version. Like one sentence, five sentences between the first and third part, which was in the Dutch version.
“So something was deleted in the work on the book.” So my suggestion is that… Omid’s official words were that it “never appeared in the production of Omid.”
“That means if it’s a production, then it’s produced – well, that’s my theory – but a manuscript was never produced, but of course it was used.” So I believe it was in the manuscript, but the legal representatives said it wasn’t a good idea to mention those names because that’s where we are.’
The Dutch version not only contains the name of the respective royal family, but also makes no mention of Mr Scobie’s claim in the English version that he is legally prevented from repeating that name.
A spokesman for Dutch publisher
When asked when this request was received, she explained: “Right now.” We are awaiting further instructions. I don’t know how long this will take. “You should speak to the US agent.”
They later claimed it was a “bug” that was “currently being fixed.”
To add to the confusion, Mr Scobie told Dutch talk show RTL Boulevard that he had not mentioned a name in his manuscript.
He added: “The book is available in several languages and unfortunately I don’t speak Dutch, so I haven’t seen the copy myself, but if there were translation errors I’m sure the publisher has it under control.”
“I edited and wrote the English version, there has never been a version I have produced that has names in it.”
HarperCollins in New York, Mr. Scobie’s publisher, did not respond to requests for comment.
Two large bookstores in central Amsterdam said they had not received deliveries as expected yesterday, but offered to order a copy for delivery “in about a week.”
Mr Scobie also appeared on ABC’s Nightline, which aired in the US this morning, and speculated that the two could be called “royal racists” in the future.
He told the show: “Unfortunately those are two names I have to keep to myself for now.” But I wonder if that could change in the future. “It seems that Harry and Meghan have decided to put an end to this.”
Regarding letters written between King Charles III. and Meghan were exchanged after the incident was revealed in the Oprah Winfrey interview in March 2021, Mr Scobie added: “We know from sources that Charles was horrified. Meghan felt that way about these conversations and he wanted to “Have this conversation with her as a representative of the family.”
Meghan, Harry, William and Kate on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in July 2018
Nightline also spoke to ABC Royal’s Victoria Murphy, who claimed that the name would only be revealed if the people involved identified themselves.
She said: “We would only find out if a member of the royal family directly involved said this publicly. “We won’t get confirmation or it won’t gain any further traction if that doesn’t happen. ‘
Mr Scobie also told Nightline that Harry and Meghan would never return to the UK.
He said: “I asked these questions to the people around her.” Will Meghan return to acting? No. Will they return to the UK? No! Never. I think they’ve found their forever home out here. They seem happy, they have built a world in which they are actually thriving.”
And on the rumors of a break in their marriage, he added: “As far as I know, they’re doing absolutely fine.” This is a couple who have literally bonded over their traumas and experiences and are, so to speak, against the world, how she feels sometimes. I don’t think that bond is particularly fragile.”
But Mr Scobie also told Nightline that Prince William doesn’t trust Harry.
He said: “The reality is, when you look at the details, when you talk to the people around them, every attempt Harry made to talk to his brother has been dashed.”
“The sources around William say that William doesn’t trust his brother.” He once called him a “turncoat.” These are really strong feelings. And I don’t think they’ve gone away or changed.”
He also recounted the seemingly awkward moment when Harry, Meghan, William and Kate reunited for a walkabout in Windsor following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September last year.
Mr Scobie said: “I was told that the silence was noticeable in the car on the way from the Art Quadrangle at Windsor Castle to the Long Walk. “You know, it was just extremely uncomfortable and embarrassing.
William, Harry, Meghan and Charles speak together at Westminster Abbey in March 2019
“It was sad because I think for the public the image was great, the great four together again. “The reality is that they didn’t speak to each other after leaving the tour.”
And he insisted that Harry and Meghan were not involved in the book, adding that any suggestion otherwise “couldn’t be further from the truth.”
There was no comment on Endgame from Buckingham Palace, which treated the book with contemptuous silence.
A royal source told the Mail yesterday that it was “completely riddled with errors which discredit it as a work of journalism”.
The uproar began yesterday after Mr Evers leaked the name on social media.
That meant that while Mr Scobie, 42, happily waved to photographers in New York and embarked on a series of talk show appearances to publicize his new tome, the name of the supposedly affected senior royal was being shared on social media – although most reactions to him were incredulous and sympathetic.
The original claim of racism was made by Meghan in her infamous Oprah interview, when she revealed that there had been “multiple conversations” between her, Harry and members of the royal family about “how dark” their unborn baby Archie would be.
“In those months when I was pregnant [there were] Concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he was born,” Meghan said in the interview.
Harry added: “I will never share that conversation.” “It was embarrassing, I was a bit shocked.” Meghan added: “I think it would be very damaging for her.”
King Charles III attends St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk on Sunday
The resulting furor led Prince William to publicly declare that they were “not a racist family at all.”
Harry later clarified that the royal was not Queen Elizabeth II or the Duke of Edinburgh.
In his new book, Mr Scobie refers to an exchange of letters between Meghan and her father-in-law which allegedly expressed the Duchess’s “concerns about unconscious racial bias in the royal family” and contained “damning details”.
Mr Scobie continues that Charles first reached out to Meghan in the spring of 2021 to express his sadness at the “distance” between them and his disappointment that the couple had decided to make their words so public .
Despite the clear conclusions in her interview, Scobie emphasizes that Meghan never used the words “racist” or “racism” when discussing the event or in her private letters.