Dutch publishers Xander Uitgevers were forced to temporarily remove Omid Scobie’s new royal book Endgame from sale yesterday after the edition appeared to reveal the names of the two royals who questioned the skin colour of Prince Archie.
Meghan Markle first revealed that a member of the Royal Family had discussed what colour skin her firstborn child would have in her infamous sitdown interview with Oprah Winfrey – but the name of the person was never revealed.
Mr Scobie discussed the events in Endgame, where he claimed that not one, but two royals were involved in the discussion. But he did not reveal their identities due to UK libel laws.
However, the Dutch edition appeared to name the two royals – prompting the publishers to quickly pull the book from the shelves. In a statement they said it was due to “an error in the Dutch translation” that is “currently being rectified”.
Now, the publishers have said that a new version of the book will return to stores in the Netherlands on Friday 8 December, just over a week’s time.
They told the Daily Express: “The rectified edition of Eindstrijd by Omid Scobie will be in bookstores on Friday 8 December. Xander Uitgevers temporarily removed the book from sale, due to an error that occurred in the Dutch edition.”
In the English version, Scobie discusses how Meghan and King Charles are known to have communicated via letter about the incident, with Endgame publishing details of these conversations.
But in the Dutch version an extra part is added, which reads: “it was revealed that XXX and XXX took part in such conversations about Archie.” The Daily Express has chosen not to reveal their identities.
A separate passage reads: “But in those private letters [the identity] was confirmed: XXXX.”
Mr Scobie was quick to distance himself from the Dutch edition, and said: “Having only written and edited the English version of Endgame, I can only comment on that manuscript – which does not name the two individuals who took part in the conversation.
“I’m happy to hear that the error in the translation of the Dutch edition is being fixed.”
The row first unfolded in the Sussex’s interview with Oprah in March 2021, almost a year after Harry and Meghan decided they were stepping down as senior working royals.
When opening up on her mental health, Meghan told the chatshow host: “In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time . . . so we have in tandem the conversation of ‘He won’t be given security, he’s not going to be given a title’ and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.”
When asked if she would name the individual who had made the comments, she responded: “I think that would be very damaging to them.”
Harry and Meghan later clarified that the person was not Queen Elizabeth or Prince Philip.
