Amid the whirlwind of controversy following the release of Omid Scobie's book "Endgame: Inside The Royal Family and the Monarchy's Fight for Survival," Meghan Markle was recently seen in a serene state, casually dressed in workout attire in Santa Barbara. Her composed demeanor comes in contrast to the ongoing tumult in the royal family, sparked by the book's allegations involving senior royals' comments about her son Archie's skin color.
The Duchess of Sussex, donning a black outfit complemented by a green baseball cap and New Balance sneakers, seemed unperturbed by the race row reignited by Scobie's book. Released on November 28, the Dutch version of "Endgame" inadvertently revealed the identities of the royals who allegedly speculated about Archie's complexion before his birth. Although the book was promptly withdrawn, the names were disclosed on Piers Morgan's "Uncensored" show, escalating the saga.
Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace have yet to respond to these allegations. Scobie, often regarded as closely aligned with the Sussexes, has refuted claims of intentionally leaking the names, emphasizing his non-involvement in the Dutch version's "translation error." He has also denied any marketing strategies to boost book sales and stated that unlike his previous book "Finding Freedom," Harry and Meghan did not contribute to "Endgame."
Sources close to Meghan Markle have reportedly stated that she did not intend for the royals' identities to be publicized. The Telegraph's Victoria Ward suggests that Markle's reluctance to name the royals during her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey was to avoid causing them harm. Meanwhile, Scobie claims that Markle mentioned them in private letters to King Charles III, believed to be securely stored and not leaked by her circle.
The narrative took another turn when Prince Harry, in promoting his memoir "Spare," clarified that his wife didn't label the family as racist but rather suggested unconscious bias on the part of the unnamed family members. This distinction has fueled further debate over the nature of the comments and their implications for the royal family's image.
Royal commentator Phil Dampier has called on the Sussexes to publicly address the book's claims if they seek to mend fences with the royal family. He contends that their silence is telling and hinders any potential reconciliation.
The situation remains complex, with King Charles III and Kate Middleton, identified in the Dutch version of "Endgame" as the royals in question, maintaining their silence on the matter. The Princess of Wales sidestepped questions on the topic at a recent Royal Variety Performance, and King Charles III continued with his official duties, including a visit to Dubai for the COP28 summit. Amidst these developments, the Sussexes themselves have not commented on the issue.
