Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Racism row: Dutch author denies naming UK royals

The translation’s withdrawal has sparked renewed speculation about the identities of the pair

Racism row: Dutch author denies naming UK royals

THE author at the centre of renewed racism claims against Britain's royal family has denied naming members alleged to have asked about the skin colour of Prince Harry's son.

Copies of the Dutch language version of Omid Scobie's "Endgame" had to be pulped after the names of two senior royals allegedly involved were included.


They are alleged to have asked about the skin colour of Prince Harry's son Prince Archie before he was born.

Harry, the younger son of King Charles III, is white while his wife, Meghan, is mixed-race.

The translation's withdrawal has sparked renewed speculation about the identities of the pair, even though Harry and Meghan have never revealed them.

Scobie told BBC television late on Thursday (30) that he did not include either in his original English version of the book.

"The version that I signed off... has no names in it," he told the broadcaster, adding that he only found out about the issue from social media.

"The Dutch publisher told us there was a translation error," he added, insisting "on my life, on my family's life" it was not deliberate.

The Dutch translator of the book has insisted the names were in the manuscript she was sent but Scobie has said they were not for legal reasons.

On Wednesday (29), British television host Piers Morgan named the royals as the king himself and his daughter-in-law Catherine, Princess of Wales.

But he added on his TalkTV show "Uncensored": "I don't believe that any racist comments were ever made by any of the royal family.

"And until there is actual evidence of those comments being made I will never believe it."

A number of other major British and international media outlets, including the BBC, have also named the pair, citing either Morgan or the Dutch version.

A royal source told AFP on Thursday they were "considering all options" in response to Morgan's remarks.

But legal experts said the chances of the royals suing for defamation was small, not least because the names would have to be formally made public.

Scobie, who previously co-wrote a soft-soap biography of Harry and Meghan, said the names were not needed for his new book, which looks at the future for the royal family.

Harry and Meghan, who quit royal life in 2020 and moved to North America, first mentioned the alleged skin colour comment in a March 2021 interview.

They have since denied accusing the family of racism and instead implied they had an "unconscious bias".

More For You

Donald Trump

Trump announced a series of tariff increases targeting various nations, including key US allies such as the UK and the European Union.

Getty Images

Trump’s tariffs hit global markets, Starmer warns of 'economic impact'

The UK and other global economies reacted on Thursday to US president Donald Trump's newly imposed tariffs, with prime minister Keir Starmer warning of an “economic impact” from the 10 per cent levy on British exports.

Trump announced a series of tariff increases targeting various nations, including key US allies such as the UK and the European Union.

Keep ReadingShow less
India told to prepare for deadly rise in temperatures

The country can expect more heatwave days this year

India told to prepare for deadly rise in temperatures

INDIA can expect hotter-thanusual temperatures this summer with more heatwave days taking a toll on lives and livelihoods, the weather office warned.

The country is no stranger to scorching summers, but years of scientific research has found climate change is causing heatwaves to become longer, more frequent and more intense.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tower Hamlets secures funding to save domestic abuse support jobs

The planned strike action was called off after the external funding was secured

Tower Hamlets secures funding to save domestic abuse support jobs

Ruby Gregory

REDUNDANCY proposals which would have seen job cuts made to a ‘crucial’ domestic abuse support service in Tower Hamlets have been called off.

Solace Women’s Aid, which planned to make cuts, confirmed last Friday (28) the redundancies were no longer going ahead, following a boost in external funding which followed a threat of strike action.

Keep ReadingShow less
Report reveals Birmingham’s doctors face racism and bullying
Absences have risen at the Queen Elizabeth and Heartlands Hospitals in Birmingham, as well as Good Hope in Sutton and Solihull Hospital

Report reveals Birmingham’s doctors face racism and bullying

Gurdip Thandi

YOUNG doctors in Birmingham hospitals face a ‘shocking’ number of incidents of bullying, racism and sexism from patients and other staff.

The Medical Academy Annual Report was presented to a University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust board meeting, which revealed the data.

Keep ReadingShow less
Former police officer arrested in Rotherham investigation

Investigators believe the earlier offences happened between 1995 and 2002 (Photo for representation: iStock)

Former police officer arrested in Rotherham investigation

A FORMER police officer has been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into child sexual abuse in Rotherham, authorities revealed on Tuesday (1).

The former constable, who is in his 50s, was taken into custody on Monday (31). He is suspected of raping a teenage girl in the South Yorkshire town in 2004, according to officials.

Keep ReadingShow less