Princess Catherine has reportedly reached out to her estranged sister-in-law Meghan Markle in a bid to play the “peacemaker” within the royal family. This move follows allegations made by Sussex-ally Omid Scobie, who claimed in his 2023 book Endgame that Catherine and King Charles III were the unnamed royals behind racially insensitive remarks made about Prince Archie’s potential skin color.
The controversy began in March 2021 when Meghan Markle and Prince Harry sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a bombshell interview. During the interview, Meghan revealed that certain senior royals had expressed concerns about how dark their son Archie’s skin might be before he was born. Although Meghan did not name the individuals involved, speculation ran rampant.
In Endgame, while the English edition refrained from naming anyone, the Dutch translation reportedly identified Catherine and Charles as the ones who made the remarks. This revelation reignited tensions within the royal family, leading to significant public backlash.
According to a source speaking to In Touch Weekly, King Charles was concerned that this racism scandal could overshadow his reign and tarnish his efforts to modernize the monarchy. The source claims that Charles urged Catherine to step in as a mediator after Prince William reportedly refused to do so. “Charles forced Kate to become his peacemaker after William’s refusal,” the insider revealed. “She agreed because, when it comes to the royal family, Kate has always taken her duties seriously — she does what she is told.”
Catherine’s call to Meghan was seen as an attempt to “clear the air” and address the allegations stemming from Endgame. The source noted that Charles was deeply worried that the ongoing feud and accusations could overshadow his reign and the monarchy as a whole. “This feud has gotten so unseemly and out of hand, it’s starting to overshadow his reign and the entire monarchy. He wants to heal the rift once and for all,” the source added.
Omid Scobie, the author at the center of the controversy, has consistently denied that he intentionally named Catherine and Charles in his book. In December last year, Scobie stated, “The book I wrote, the book I edited, the book I signed off on, did not have names in it.” He emphasized that he worked directly only with the publishers covering the US and UK, and was unaware of any names being added in other editions.
Despite Scobie’s denials, the Dutch translators of Endgame have maintained that the manuscript they received clearly identified the Princess of Wales and the King as the individuals behind the controversial comments.
The release of Endgame has also been mired in controversy beyond the allegations of racism. The book faced criticism for factual inaccuracies and exaggerations, particularly regarding popular royals like Princess Catherine and the Duchess of Edinburgh. For instance, Scobie claimed that Catherine had “five private secretaries” over six years, which was later debunked by The Daily Express, clarifying that she had only three.
As the royal family continues to navigate these troubled waters, the outcome of Catherine’s attempt to mediate remains to be seen. Whether this effort will lead to a mending of relationships or further strain remains a question for the future of the monarchy.
