Endgame draft manuscript naming royals accused of racism exposed

The source of an Endgame manuscript naming two royals was revealed, as Meghan Markle’s aides were left ‘horrified’ after their publication threatened to ‘wreck’ her Hollywood plan.

A draft version of Omid Scobie’s Endgame that contained the names of two royals accused of race bias was sent to the book’s Dutch publisher, according to a new report.

As the Sussex camp was left “horrified” by the publication that threatened to scuttle future deals, the route of the “error” was identified as Scobie’s talent agency, which allegedly sent two manuscripts – an early draft containing the names and a final, approved version without them.

The claim, published in the UK’s Times, comes after Scobie maintained during multiple interviews that he never included their identities in the English-language version of the manuscript he submitted for publication.

But a source familiar with the matter claimed an earlier version containing the names was sent by United Talent Agency (UTA) to Dutch publisher Xander Uitgevers.

The translators interpreted that earlier version rather than the final, approved text, sent by UTA weeks before publication, according to The Times. UTA and Scobie have been approached for comment.

Author Omid Scobie has denied including names of two royals in the English language version of Endgame. Picture: Supplied

New reports claim than an early, unapproved version was sent to Dutch translators before a final version was sent later. Picture: Supplied

British broadcaster Piers Morgan became the first to in the UK media to name King Charles and Catherine, Princess of Wales, after they were directly and indirectly implicated in the 5000 copies printed in the Netherlands.

He was followed in English-language media including the BBC, The Guardian, ITV and Sky News, The New York Post, and The New York Times.

The furore left aides of Meghan Markle at her new Hollywood talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) “horrified and exasperated by the never-ending scandal” which threatens to take a “wrecking ball” to deals that could “quickly vanish” if it continues.

“Whether or not Meghan and Harry were the sources of these, people will simply assume they were because of their past connections with Mr Scobie,” the source told the Express.

“Unless they immediately distance themselves from him and denounce his book as either untrue or reported out of context, then they must expect to be a part of the backlash against it.”

Meghan’s estranged father, Thomas Markle, said it was “unusual” the Sussexes hadn’t spoken out against Endgame.

“Here we have another letter from my daughter which has somehow made it into the public domain. Another letter? Again?” he said, referencing the leaked letter Meghan wrote him previously.

“The fact that Harry and Meghan have not publicly distanced themselves from this strikes me as unusual.”

Buckingham Palace is set to meet this week to discuss the family’s next steps, which could include “all options” such as legal action.

Buckingham Palace is considering “all options” in how to respond to the naming of King Charles, which threatens to scuttle Hollywood deals for the Sussexes.

Saskia Peeters, one of the two translators credited with the Dutch translation, disputed claims the inclusion of the two names was made in error.

“As a translator, I translate what is in front of me,” she told MailOnline.

“The names of the royals were there in black and white. I did not add them. I just did what I was paid to do and that was translate the book from English into Dutch.”

It directly contradicts repeated claims by Scobie that the two names were never included in the English version, which he repeated in an interview with the BBC.

Endgame author Omid Scobie has denied including the names in several interviews. Picture: ITV

“It’s not for me to apologise because I still want to know what has happened,” Scobie said, swearing on his life and the life of his family that the names were included as a publicity stunt.

“Ultimately to write the names, it’s a show and tell situation. There’s no ability to show, so there was never an attempt to name.

Ms Peeters, who translated Endgame into the Dutch title “Final Battle”, said she doesn’t know why Scobie “would say that”.

“I have been translating for many years. This is the first time anything like this has happened,” she said.

“This is not something I wanted to be involved in. This has been upsetting.”