In his new book about the British monarchy, “Endgame,” author Omid Scobie denies identifying individuals who allegedly speculated on Archie’s skin color, a topic that Meghan Markle brought up during her interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021. The controversy surrounds Meghan’s claims that someone within the royal household expressed concerns about the potential skin color of her and Prince Harry’s son, Archie.
The original UK version of “Endgame” mentions Meghan’s complaints about two people who allegedly made such comments but does not specify their identities. However, a Dutch-language version of the book reportedly names two members of the royal family allegedly involved in the conversation, leading to a temporary halt in its publication by publisher Xander Uitgevers.
In response to the controversy, Scobie stated in a video interview with Dutch media network RTL Nederland that he did not produce any version of the book containing names. He clarified that he edited and wrote the English version and had not seen the Dutch copy. While acknowledging the translation errors, he expressed confidence that the publishers would address the issue appropriately.
The book explores Meghan’s written correspondence with father-in-law King Charles III, wherein she discussed the alleged remarks about Archie’s skin color. According to sources cited by Scobie, Charles emphasized that the comments were not made with ill will or casual prejudice, while Meghan highlighted the need to address lingering unconscious bias and ignorance.
The controversy surrounding the Dutch version of “Endgame” underscores the sensitivity of the topic and the challenges of accurately translating and interpreting such material across languages. As the publisher works to rectify the translation errors, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, and the Sussexes have yet to comment on the matter.
