The British royal family is considering legal action after media outlets around the world began naming the two so-called “royal racists,” according to The Telegraph.
The names of two senior royals who reportedly commented on the skin color of Prince Harry’s son, Archie, before his birth were published for the first time in the Dutch translation of “Endgame,” the new book by British writer Omid Scobie.
Media personality Piers Morgan then named both on his show on Wednesday evening, before a series of major news organizations in several countries followed suit.
Sources close to the royal family confirmed that there is no basis for these allegations.
Copies of the book “Endgame” by British journalist and writer Omid Scobie are sold in a bookstore in London (EPA)
Yesterday (Thursday), Tom Tugendhat, Minister of Security, defended the royal family at the heart of these accusations. Media personality Jeremy Kyle told him: “King Charles and Kate Middleton were named Princess of Wales by Piers Morgan last night. “On the Internet, it’s everywhere.”
Tugendhat replied: “Some individuals have written rumors and hadiths that make various claims about the king, which, frankly, are completely unsubstantiated. “The King has done a fantastic job for us – not just in the last year since he became King, but he has been absolutely fantastic for many years defending the interests of the British people as Prince of Wales.”
He added: “Frankly, I see this as just a rumor and an attempt to disparage someone who has served our country with tremendous dignity for many years.”
King Charles III delivers a speech during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) (dpa)
Sources close to Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s wife, who named the two individuals in a letter she wrote to the king, insisted that she never intended to reveal their identities publicly, and that the letter was not leaked to Scobie by anyone on her team.
The dispute threatens to cast a shadow over the king’s appearance at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.
The king was followed by other senior members of the royal family who continued their official duties in the face of the reports.
Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton applaud during the show at the Royal Albert Hall in London (AFP)
The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, showed no sign of nervousness as they attended the “Royal Variety Performance” at the Royal Albert Hall. They were joined by Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, who are visiting royals from Sweden.
The prince and princess ignored questions about the reports as they got out of their car.
British Prince William and his wife Kate arrive to attend the royal variety show at the Royal Albert Hall in London (AFP)
But behind the scenes, palace officials were holding meetings with lawyers about how to respond to the uproar. A royal source said: “We are examining all options.”
Any potential legal action could spark a high-profile international court battle, pitting media giants against the monarchy, and the royal institution against Harry and Meghan.
Legal experts said the royals could sue Scobie for invasion of privacy or the media for defamation.
The book “Endgame” describes how Meghan, 42, sent a letter to the king, who was then the Prince of Wales, in which she expressed her concerns about unconscious bias in the royal family.
The letter, which was first revealed in The Telegraph, was sent in the wake of Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, in which Meghan claimed a family member had talked about the color of her unborn son’s skin.
Scobie reveals that the Duchess complained to Charles about two people who had upset her with comments about Prince Archie’s skin colour. However, he did not mention these names in the English version of the book, citing “laws in the United Kingdom.”
He blamed the inclusion of the identities in the Dutch edition on a translation error, denying that it was merely a marketing ploy. Scobie said yesterday that he was “disappointed” by the printing of the two names.
