Omid Scobie has spent much of the past year writing Endgame, his second book and first as a solo author. Endgame will be out on November 28 – it was originally due out in the early summer, but Scobie pushed it back because there was so much new drama around the coronation. There’s a sense of foreboding dread with the royal rota, and I’ve always gotten the sense that those salty people believe Scobie is “wrong” to refuse to simply be a stenographer to power and endlessly repeat the palace’s lies. The rota honestly acts like Scobie is taking money away from them. I think they’re too stupid to realize that they could also do what Scobie is doing – treat the Windsors fairly and equally, don’t do unpaid PR for them, question why the palace is feeding certain narratives.
This week, Scobie revealed a behind-the-scenes photo as Endgame presumably goes to print. You can see, on his laptop, “Chapter 13: A Dangerous Game: Royals and the Media.” Two quotes are below the chapter title. “My problem has never been with the monarchy, or the concept of the monarchy. It’s with the press.” – Prince Harry. Then: “The press is our chief ideological weapon.” – Nikita Khrushchev. You know the sh-t is about to hit the fan when you start quoting Khrushchev.
Toni Morrison famously said, “If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” So I did! It’s been the toughest work of my career but, finally, in four weeks, #ENDGAME will cover the royal story like NEVER before. Preordered yet? pic.twitter.com/nwaVYtzjHL
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) October 27, 2023
The Daily Mail’s write-up of this nothingburger preview included a whine about how Scobie is attacking the press, plus a claim that Endgame’s final chapter (about Prince William) “is likely to cause concern at the Palace.” They also suggest that Scobie will “repeat” some of Prince Harry’s claims from Spare, like William’s violence against Harry and William’s unhinged smear campaign against Meghan.
Meanwhile, Scobie also tweet-replied so someone tagging him on the Byline Times cover story about the Sussexit.
I'm on vacation atm but am a big fan of Byline Times – very much needed in this current climate. There's an entire section on this very story (and a lot more!) in my book out in four weeks🙂
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) October 26, 2023
Photos courtesy of Instagram.
If William did nothing wrong, why is the press so concerned about what Omid will write about him? But I agree that Spare is going to be source material for the book.
I’m going to preorder his book for sure.
Already preordered my audiobook, I can’t wait to listen to it. I hope it’s even more truthful, or as the rota would say “shocking”, than they fear. It’s beyond time that the world sees there is no “Great Wizard” behind the curtain.
Already did. Looking forward to reading it.
The difference is that Scobie likely doesn’t care if he gets invitations from the royals or if he gets any sort of knighthood or useless award. I hope he is spilling more than PH did. And now wait for H&M to be blamed for whatever he writes.
I hope those 400 pages they had to cut from Harry’s book is in here
Let’s wait and see the credible reviews, not going with the hipe yet.
Eh, I pre ordered Finding Freedom and was ultimately disappointed. Will he really have new info etc or will it again be a re-hash of everything we already know? These days, my pennies matter like never before (even during the 80s when I was a young, widowed mum). I don’t remember ever feeling this anxious about finances, so I won’t be pre-ordering till I’ve heard back from y’all that this time, it’s worth it!
I will give you my copy after I read it if you want? Let me know.
Agree. Finding Freedom was a limp disappointment. Info regurgitated from the tabloids and not much else. Won’t be buying this time around.
No, @Carrie. Scobie was deliberately fed disinformation by Jason knauf to make sure that WanK did not come off looking bad in the book.
He was also told lies about the details re H&M’s stay in Botswana, causing scobie to present it as if they stayed in a $multi-thousand dollar per night glamp when in fact, as H told it in Spare, they roughed it in a simple bell tent.
Etc.
It would be absolutely fascinating if Scobie directly addressed those lies in the new book.
Library!! That’s how I read most of my books – and library orders count for authors too! Sure, I had to wait a while to read Finding Freedom, but I was fine with that.
Yes, libraries! Support your local library!
I was very disappointed in Finding Freedom too, for numerous reasons. It was poorly written, and it does not appear to have had a competent editor. It was obviously rushed out after Sussexit, and the entire thrust of the book had to be re-worked as a result. FF originally did not have that title, as the focus was initially supposed to be on H&M’s romance and their lives within the royal family.
IMO, Omid was compromised by Durand’s deadweight, by Knauf and KP lying to him, and by the publisher’s insistence upon rushing FF out before it was fully ready, in order to capitalize on Sussexit. As well, apparently for legal reasons at that point in time, FF was completely soft and wimpy in its depiction of WanK. There is some truthful, factual, revealing content in FF, but overall, I lost interest in trying to finish the book.
The publisher remarketed the paperback version, with additional details of events that had taken place after the hardcover publication. They simply should have completed and edited the book properly from the start. And better yet, drop Durand, because it was seemingly her contributions which were badly written. Omid promoted FF in interviews much better than what the product itself actually delivered.
At least, for Endgame, Omid has done the research, writing and investigating himself, on his own terms, as the solo author. He pushed back the release date, to keep abreast of timely events. And since he is a good writer, I am hopeful that an equally good editor was employed this time. 🤞
the editing in FF Was so bad. Like, there was one part where there was the exact same sentence in two paragraphs – like it ended paragraph one, and then started P2. How did no one catch that?!?!
Money is always tight for me so I don’t buy books, that’s a luxury too far. I rely on libraries and charity shops. I was lucky enough to be gifted the audio of Spare by a friend. But I could have waited on the library copy. Was about a year.
Of course he’s going to use Spare for some of his source material or at least refer to some incidents from there – he would be stupid to ignore a book written by a member of the royal family as he writes about the royal family.
I am interested to read this one. I don’t think its going to be as earthshattering as some may expect or want it to be, but I still think it will be interesting.
The thing is with the BRF even truthfully and fair reporting or coverage is earth shattering because they go to such extreme lengths and evil tactics to cover everything up with the help of a mercenary press.
True! Anything outside the party line will be earthshattering as these things go.
Exactly! FF was before the Oprah interview, and before Spare. If it didn’t reveal significant new information, at the time it was the first major publication that presented H&M in an even handed, and actually, positive, light. (This, despite Knauf’s efforts to muddy the waters by giving Scobie inaccurate information.). Prior to Spare, and now possibly Britney’s book, FF had the record for fastest selling non-fiction book. There was a huge appetite to know more than what the press/RF was peddling, especially where Meghan was concerned, and that was true globally as FF came out initially in at least a dozen languages.
I am definitely downloading Endgame the day it appears. I don’t expect Scobie to go full Andrew Morton rogue on us, but I think he will definitely have a worthwhile perspective and hopefully a few details that will fill in the cracks on some of the more mis-reported stories. If he includes even less than ten percent of what’s hidden about Burger King and throws in some Middleton tea then it’s worth my money.
Finding Freedom was written when Meghan was still part of the family, the Queen was still alive, and we had no idea of half of the treachery going on behind the scenes. He also wrote it with a partner who seems to have removed herself from royal reporting, which I find extremely curious.
I’m excited to read it.
By juxtaposing the two quotes, Scobie is gently, but definitely, shading Harry. Harry’s focus on the media as the root of the problem, rather than the weaponizing of the media by the monarchy may come in for some scrutiny here. And, IMHO, that wouldn’t be a bad thing.
He definitely seems to be making a point about how the media is a problem *because* they were (or allowed themselves to be) used by the Windsors as a tool. (Also, if he were to undermine Harry’s defense of his family, that wouldn’t be bad. Harry’s always been too lenient towards his family by directing the blame at the press.)
I agree, in Spare, Harry described his family more or less as victims of the media and the invisible contract, not as active participants who willingly entered into this contract to cover up something.
I hope he shines a light on the active participation of the RF and how they are using the media. And maybe how much is covered up, even if he can not write what the crimes are.
Yes, I find the organization, quotes, and chapter headings, Omid has revealed so far, to be intriguing. I am less interested in and not expecting salacious, completely unknown details to be exposed in Endgame. What I would find more worthwhile is a well-researched, well-written examination and assessment of events and details we have been aware of. A solid effort in gathering everything together and placing events within a reflective historical context, is what I’m anticipating. And if there are some additional unknown nuggets revealed, all the better. 👌🏽
I’ve preordered my copy and am really looking forward to reading it!
I plan to read Endgame because no other author seems to want to tackle a critical look at the British monarchy and its current relationship to the British press. I started to read Finding Freedom but stopped because I found it so poorly written and didn’t seem to offer any insight into the whole situation at the time. Omid seemed to do all the promotion duties, so I wonder if he had a co-writer just so that he could get the book published. I hope Endgame is better written.
Omid’s yahoo columns were a lot more to the point and interesting, less flowery writing. So I’m hoping that’s how endgame will be.
@Tamsin, I tend to believe moreso that it was Carolyn Durand, palace operatives, and KP who had engaged in using Omid, unwittingly on his part, as a front man to tarnish and trivialize the Sussexes’ image. In fact, Omid has said that it was Durand who first approached him about writing a book together.
It was well-known among the rota that Omid had an insider Sussex contact. This does not mean Omid personally knew Meghan, nor that he was the Sussexes’ mouthpiece. He simply had an insider source whom he could rely upon for accurate information during H&M’s courtship. On their end, I believe the Sussexes’ trusted Omid’s journalistic integrity from prior interactions with him. Yet, they were not interested in anyonè writing a book about them at that time.
Once Durand and Omid partnered, it was Knauf who suspiciously pushed H&M to give the authors biographical details, with Knauf serving as the intermediary. In 2018, many more hopeful writers, besides Durand and Omid, were vying to receive help in writing about the newly married H&M. It is debatable whether Carolyn Durand knew that she was also being used by KP, along with Omid, or whether she had full knowledge of KP’s nefarious dealings.
Yes and with all of the stifling of opinions and voices 2023 has brought out, we need to be reminded of what the press is for. It wasn’t created to explain away the overlords crimes. It was created to share and inform.
They found an old Egyptian papyrus newsletter with a crop report, a food recipe, and some gossip. The press is for the people. Edicts is for the rulers.
At this time, every picture, vase, book, item of glassware, expensive crockery and ornament in kp, BP, and all Royal residences are being bubble wrapped and put into storage. Extra deliveries of pillows and ,gum shields are being delivered and a truck load of blood pressure medicine along with it. The incandescent one is really losing it BIG TIME and will need a padded room and hands on his bald brow to try and sooth his deranged brow 😂😂No Mr knaph to help you now peg and no Mr Wooton either
😂😆😂 It’s great to have you back, Mary Pester. I always notice your absence. Hope you’re feeling better.
@BEVERLY, hi Beverly, it’s great to be Back! There were times when I didn’t think I would be!! Still weak but getting stronger, every day. Xx
Just how many people did Wooton blackmail. It really does look like he will escape.
Mr. Scobie has found the Fountain of Youth. I need to know his skincare regimen. Wow!
LOL! For sure, Omid engages in a dedicated skincare regimen, along with having had a bit of cosmetic surgery, to enhance his already gorgeous bone structure. Genetics are definitely a huge part of Omid’s ‘secret’ to discovering the ‘Fountain of Youth.’