Omid Scobie took the extraordinary step of swearing on his own life, and his family’s, on live TV last night that the naming of two royals in the Dutch version of Endgame is not a ‘stunt’ to shift more copies of his book.
Mr Scobie, 42, said he was ‘hurt’ by the suggestion and dismissed it as a conspiracy theory by people who want to believe that he is ‘in cahoots’ with Meghan Markle, declaring: ‘It couldn’t be further from the truth’.
He also refused to apologise for the racism scandal that has erupted, claiming: ‘I’m as frustrated as everyone else. The book I wrote, the book I edited, the book I signed off on, did not have names in it’.
But questions about whether he put the names in remain because one of the Dutch translators told yesterday: ‘The names of the royals were there in black and white. I did not add them’.
Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Two’s Newsnight, Mr Scobie was asked to say ‘hand on heart’ that the farrago over the Dutch translation was not a PR stunt. He raised his hands, shaking his head, and replied: ‘On my life, on my family’s life.’ Ms Derbyshire said: ‘You don’t have to go that far, it’s fine’.
Scobie then said: ‘No it’s serious because I feel hurt by some of the things I’ve seen that have suggested a conspiracy theory, that this is some kind of publicity stunt, and “I’m in cahoots with my pal [Meghan]” and nonsense like that because it feeds into something that couldn’t be further from the truth’.
Victoria then said: ‘In some version you must have written the names in and the wrong version has potentially gone to the people in charge of the rights around the world, I suppose’. Mr Scobie didn’t respond.
It came as media organisations around the world, including ITV, The Guardian and The Times, named the two royals accused of asking about Archie’s skin colour as King Charles and his daughter-in-law Kate.
In a tense BBC interview with Victoria Derbyshire , Scobie declared: ‘It’s not for me to apologise because I still want to know what’s happened.’
The Prince and Princess of Wales put on a business-as-usual attitude as they attended the Royal Variety Performance 2023 amid a deepening race row reignited by Omid Scobie
King Charles also brushed off the racism row as he visited Dubai for the Cop28 summit. Here, he talks to representatives at the Commonwealth and Nature reception yesterday
Omid Scobie has refused to apologise to the two senior royals his book claimed had ‘concerns’ over Prince Archie ‘s skin colour
Dutch translators Saskia Peeters (left) and Nellie Keukelaar-van Rijsbergern (right) who worked on Omid Scobie’s controversial book have insisted the names of two royals at the centre of racism scandal were in the manuscript they were sent
During Good Morning Britain’s opening credits today, Ben Shephard said: ‘The Princess of Wales made no comment at the Royal Variety performance in London last night and it was business as usual for the King at the climate conference in Dubai after they were named in the Dutch version of a new book as the royals who questioned what colour skin Prince Archie would have.’
The royal author, 42, claims that the book that he ‘was extremely proud of’ has been ‘completely overshadowed by an event that’s caused me a lot of frustration’.
In a tense BBC interview with Victoria Derbyshire last night, Mr Scobie was given the chance to say sorry to the Royal Family but instead declared: ‘It’s not for me to apologise because I still want to know what’s happened.’
The royal author, 42, said that the book that he ‘was extremely proud of’ has been ‘completely overshadowed by an event that’s caused me a lot of frustration’.
The Dutch edition of Mr Scobie’s book named the two royals Meghan allegedly accused of having ‘concerns’ over ‘how dark’ Prince Archie would be, which was followed up by Piers Morgan last night identifying them on live television.
The pair identified in the book were named widely by media organisations around the world last night, including the Guardian and the Times, as King Charles and Kate.
Sources close to the Duchess of Sussex, who allegedly named the pair in a letter to Charles, have insisted to the Telegraph that she had ‘never intended them to be publicly identified’ and that it ‘was not leaked to Mr Scobie by anyone in her camp’.
When Mr Scobie was asked whether he could ‘hand on heart’ say that this wasn’t a publicity stunt to sell more books, he replied: ‘On my life, on my family’s life.’
He told Newsnight last night that ‘there are irresponsible people in this country that have broken the law and repeated names that should never have been repeated’.
‘The book I wrote, the book I edited, the book I signed off on, did not have names in it,’ he added. ‘I’m as frustrated as everyone else.’
READ MORE: Kate Middleton and Prince William ignore fallout from Omid Scobie race row as they arrive hand-in-hand at the Royal Variety Performance
Mr Scobie said there is a full investigation going on into what happened after he first heard about it on social media.
The author, who said his book had been ‘legalled and vetted’, explained that he was in back to back interviews on the day that he was told by the Dutch publisher that there was a ‘translation error’.
He added: ‘So I’m looking forward to finding out more about it because the English version of the book – the only one I know – the version I signed off on, that’s the book that is out there today, that’s the book that has no names in it.
‘I make it very clear, because ultimately to write the names it’s a show and tell situation, there’s no ability to show so there was never an attempt to name.’
Mr Scobie was speaking as members of the Royal Family got down to business as usual, with King Charles in Dubai for Cop28 and Prince William and Kate dazzling at the Royal Variety Performance in London.
Palace sources told The Mirror that the ‘entire Royal Family is united in outrage’ after members of the family were ‘unfairly named in this way’.
They added: ‘There is absolute and unequivocal denial that anything said by the two persons named publicly was said, or even could be considered to be said, in a racist manner.’
The row was described as ‘an outrageous smear’ that began with the Oprah interview but has now ‘blown up into another stratosphere’.
The interview also came just hours after both Dutch translators who worked on Mr Scobie’s controversial book insisted that the names of two royals at the centre of a racism scandal were in the manuscript they received.
Saskia Peeters said she did not add the names to the Dutch version of the book Endgame. Speaking to from her home in Arnhem, she said: ‘As a translator, I translate what is in front of me.
‘The names of the royals were there in black and white. I did not add them. I just did what I was paid to do and that was translate the book from English into Dutch.’
The second translator, Nellie Keukelaar-van Rijsbergern, then told The Sun: ‘We are professionals and we’ve done this for years, both of us. It’s unfair.’
Her claims appear to contradict Scobie’s (pictured yesterday) who has insisted that he did not include the names of the two royals
The alleged racist comments were made about ‘concerns’ over Prince Archie’s skin colour. Pictured: Harry and Meghan in Sydney in 2018
Saskia said she did not add the names to the Dutch version of the book Endgame (pictured)
The inclusion of the names led to 5,000 copies of the book – called ‘Final Battle’ in Holland – being withdrawn from sale on the bookshelves and pulped.
Bookstores were ordered to remove the paperback from their shelves and return to the publisher. The book will go back on sale next week.
TV presenter Piers Morgan first revealed the names of the pair on his evening show on Wednesday night.
Last night, he hosted another show where he defended his decision before describing Mr Scobie as a ‘proven liar’ who is ‘dragging the Royal Family through the mud all over again and reigniting these racism charges because he wants to sell books and make money’.
In response to Mr Scobie saying he was ‘frustrated’, Morgan also tweeted: ‘Must be very frustrating when some random person in the Netherlands decides to insert passages naming and racist-shaming King Charles and the Princess of Wales in your own book, and you have no idea how that happened.’
The Dutch edition of the book is said to include the two royals’ names but there is no detail of what was supposedly said during the alleged conversations. Mr Scobie has provided no evidence to back up the claims.
Mrs Peeters was clearly shocked and nervous at the firestorm her translation has caused.
She did not say when she received the manuscript from the Dutch publisher Xander Uitgevers.
She said that the pages were distributed between herself and fellow translator Nellie Keukellar-van Rijsbergen to transcribe.
When told the book’s author Mr Scobie had denied the names were in his manuscript Mrs Peters said: ‘I don’t know why he would say that.
‘I have been translating for many years. This is the first time anything like this has happened.
‘This is not something I wanted to be involved in. This has been upsetting. I do not want to talk about it much more.’
The original claim was made by Meghan Markle in the Sussexes’ infamous 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview (pictured) when she revealed there were ‘several conversations’ between herself, Harry and Royal Family members about ‘how dark’ Archie would be
The inclusion of the names led to 5,000 copies of the book – called ‘Final Battle’ (pictured) in Holland – being withdrawn from sale on the bookshelves and pulped
Omid Scobie before the Platinum Jubilee service at St Paul’s Cathedral on June 3, 2022
Mrs Peters and her colleague Keukellar-van Rijsbergen are credited with the translation in the preface for the book which has been described as ‘poisonous’ for its attacks on the royal family, in particular Charles, Camilla and the Princess of Wales.
It is understood they were sent the English version of Endgame by Xander Uitgevers.
Mr Scobie issued a statement yesterday afternoon in which he insisted it was a ‘error in the translation’ in the Dutch version and he was ‘happy’ that it was being corrected.
But Netherlands publisher simply referred to ‘an error that occurred in the Dutch edition’ – not making any reference to a translation issue, suggesting there may be a difference in opinion as to what actually happened.
Colleagues of Mrs Peeters said would be ‘unthinkable’ that the experienced translators would add the names without checking with the publisher.
Paul Janse, who runs a book translation service, said: ‘I find it really unthinkable that a translator would mention names that weren’t there in their English version, especially such a sensitive matter.
‘To me it does not make sense. As a book translator you work with what is in front of you. I think they must have used a version with the names in it.’
Another experienced book translator based in Amsterdam also said the pair responsible for the Dutch version of Endgame would not have written the names unless they were in the manuscript already.
‘Why would they choose these particular names out of all of those they could use?’ said the translator.
‘They are very experienced professionals who have so many credits to their name. Why would they risk doing this and who is to say they got the right names.’
Peeters has over 20 years’ experience translating books from English into Dutch, including fiction works and cooks books.
Her colleague has translated books for best-selling authors Nicholas Sprks and Wilbur Smith.
It comes as well-placed sources told the Mail that Buckingham Palace is ‘considering all options’ over the royal race row stoked by Mr Scobie’s new book.
Sources say that while King Charles is determined to focus on important state business in Dubai, where he is holding bilateral meetings ahead of giving a keynote opening speech at the COP28 summit on Friday, aides are seriously looking at how they should, if at all, respond.
While it is clear that courtiers will be looking at the various legal options open to them, it is incredibly unlikely that they would actually sue Mr Scobie. They would not want to get into a protracted legal battle.
But a source told the Mail: ‘I understand the palace is considering all options open to them.
‘However the key thing for them is His Majesty responding in the most eloquent way possible by getting on with business and not letting it distract from vastly more important issues regarding the future on the planet and bilaterals with other world leaders including those impacted by the situation in the Middle East.’
Other options available to them could be sending out a legal warning to those tempted to further repeat the names, particularly given there has been no confirmation that these are indeed the people concerned or whether there is any truth even to the allegations themselves in the first place.
An indomitable King Charles yesterday brushed off the row over Endgame
King Charles receives a parrot figurine at the Commonwealth and Nature reception
The other option would be to publicly release a statement, much like the late Queen Elizabeth did in the wake of Harry and Meghan marking their original allegations in their Oprah interview in 2021 when the Duchess of Sussex alleged that a senior royal express their ‘concern’ about her son, Prince Archie’s, skin colour.
Then the late monarch said famously that while the issues around race were concerning, ‘recollections may vary’ and vowed to deal with the matter privately.
It has been reported that the King and his daughter-law subsequently exchanged letters about the matter in which he is said to have expressed his sadness that she felt that way but took great pains to explain that there would have been no ‘ill will or casual prejudice’ intended on behalf of those involved.
It is said that he wanted to clear up something he felt strongly about.
An indomitable King Charles III yesterday brushed off the row over Endgame as he landed in Dubai where he will give a keynote speech at the COP28 climate change conference.
When asked by Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu how he was, the monarch replied: ‘I’m all right very much, just about’.
He added: ‘Having had a rather ancient birthday recently recovering from the shock of that’ – a nod to turning 75 earlier this month.
The Prince and Princess of Wales were also out and about amid the race row – as they welcomed the future Queen of Sweden and her husband to Windsor Castle yesterday. They later attended the Royal Variety Performance.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with their children Archie and Lilibet in December 2021
Before his BBC appearance, Mr Scobie appeared on ITV’s This Morning to square the blame on the Dutch publisher, declaring: ‘I never submitted a book that had those names in it’.
The interview started with a denial he is ‘Meghan’s mouthpiece’ and he offered no mea culpa or apology for the error and when asked if he was upset he said:
‘I am obviously frustrated. I wouldn’t say I am upset about it’.
Asked if the Dutch farrago was a ‘stunt to sell books’ in the face of poor reviews, he said: ‘I wish it was the case’ and that ‘an investigation is underway’.
‘I had never submitted a book that had their names in it, so I can only talk about my version’, he said. ‘I wrote and edited the English version of the book with one publisher. That then gets licensed to other publishers. I can’t speak Italian, German, French, Dutch or any of the other languages that it’s come out in’.
He also said that he and Endgame had been unfairly criticised. He said: ‘I knew this book would be controversial, whether it’s about race or the Palace’s relationship with the press. I never expected it to be presented fairly’. He said: ‘There have been unfair attacks on me’.
He said that he believed that he has been victimised because he was saying ‘loudly from the start’ that Meghan suffered racism. He added that because he is mixed race he has a different perspective on the racism she had – but insisted that he not just some ‘mouthy fan’.
Mr Scobie said he was ‘as frustrated as anyone else’, adding: ‘I make it very clear in this book that I in every way possible want to adhere to the laws surrounding this subject.
‘It’s why I’ve been very careful in how it’s described in the book and it’s why I’ve never spoken about it beyond what I’ve said in the public domain before.
‘The reality is though is that this is information that is not privy just to me. Journalists across Fleet Street have known those names for a long time. We’ve all followed a certain code of conduct when it comes to talking about it.
‘It’s frustrating that now what’s going on in the Netherlands with the book that was obviously immediately rescinded and is now being reprinted has happened, and I’m glad to hear so. But for me I can only talk about the English version of the book that I wrote and produced.’