Prince Harry and Meghan Markle must distance themselves from Omid Scobie’s explosive book as feud deepens, royal experts say: ‘The Sussexes can’t have it both ways’

Harry and Meghan must distance themselves from Omid Scobie’s explosive book, royal experts claim – as the race feud has deepened even further today.

Mr Scobie today dismissed the portrayal of two royals as alleged racists in the Dutch version of Endgame and denied he was responsible in his first British TV appearance on ITV’s This Morning.

The Sussexes’ favorite royal reporter, speaking hours after Piers Morgan identified the two senior royals who had reportedly raised “concerns” about Prince Archie’s skin color, put the blame squarely on the Dutch publisher.

“I never submitted a book that had these names in it,” he stated.

But new questions have been raised after Endgame’s Dutch translator revealed to MailOnline that the names of the two ‘royal racists’ were indeed in the manuscript she had received.

Today, royal commentators are furious that the Sussexes ‘can’t have it both ways’ and must distance themselves from the book which has been described as a ‘tirade against the royal family’.

Meghan Markle first made this claim in the Sussexes’ infamous 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview, when she revealed there were “several conversations” between herself, Harry and members of the royal family about “how dark” Archie’s skin would be.

But almost two years later, Prince Harry denied that the Sussexes had accused the royal family of racism and blamed the British press. He said the question about Archie’s skin color was an example of “unconscious bias.”

Royal author Phil Dampier told MailOnline today: ‘This whole situation is getting murkier by the day. There have been two royals mentioned in the past – both in books and online – and only one of them was named by Piers Morgan last night and virtually confirmed by Omid Scobie today. The other is a new name for me.

‘The responsibility now largely lies with Harry and Meghan. He claimed in an interview with Tom Bradby that it was the British press that called the royal family racist, not them. But why did they even mention it in the Oprah Winfrey interview if they weren’t unhappy?

‘They can’t have it both ways and if they don’t support this book and don’t believe the royal family members are racist, they need to come out and say so now. Their silence speaks volumes and I don’t see any reconciliation in the short term.’

Investigative journalist Tom Bower added: ‘Scobie has reopened a brutal proxy war against the Royal Family by coyly revealing the names of alleged racists. His accusations are not only completely untrue and unfair, but also ridiculous.

‘Furthermore, during the promotional tour of his book Spare, Harry admitted that the conversation was not racist.’

And royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said: ‘It was surreal watching Omid Scobie answer questions about Endgame on This Morning, as if he was solely responsible for the English version of the book.

‘If he ‘never submitted a book containing their names’, how could they have been included in the Dutch copy of the book?

‘These are names that cannot be mistranslated and the question is how they appear in the book, for which he as the author is certainly responsible.

‘Scobie claims he is ‘just as frustrated as everyone else’ about the way the names have been included in the Dutch edition. Many will conclude that this was an attempt to publish a dirty book. Others may conclude that the Sussexes may have been behind it or even instigated it.”

MailOnline has asked the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment. Sources close to the couple have denied that they had any “connection” with the book.

Mr Fitzwilliams described Endgame as a ‘rant against the Royal Family’, adding: ‘What Omid Scobie is doing proves he is the ultimate figure when it comes to thrill-seeking, I’m afraid.

‘In his book, Scobie makes it clear that he thinks the monarchy is in decline, possibly even permanently. He took the risk of embarrassment in strange circumstances.”

Mr Scobie said he had left out the royals in his book for legal reasons – only to have it appear in the Dutch version, which he called an “error”.

It comes as well-placed sources revealed Buckingham Palace is today ‘considering all options’ over the royal racing row sparked by Scobie’s ‘toxic’ new book.

Sources have told the Mail that while King Charles is determined to focus on key state affairs in Dubai, where he is holding bilateral meetings ahead of delivering a keynote opening address at the COP28 summit on Friday, aides are seriously looking at how to proceed, if everyone, respond.

While it is clear that courtiers will look at the various legal options open to them, it is incredibly unlikely that they will actually sue Scobie. They don’t want to get involved in a lengthy legal battle.

But a source told the Mail: ‘I understand the palace is considering all options open to them.

“The most important thing for them, however, is that His Majesty responds in the most eloquent way by getting on with business and not letting it distract from much more important issues regarding the future of the planet and bilateral relations with other world leaders, including those who affected by the situation. in the Middle East.’

This afternoon, Saskia Peeters, the Dutch translator who worked on Scobie’s book, said she had not added the names to the Dutch version of the book Endgame.

Speaking from her home in Arnhem, she told MailOnline: ‘As a translator, I translate what is in front of me.

‘The names of the royals were on it in black and white. I didn’t add them. I just did what I was paid to do and that was translate the book from English to Dutch.’