'Racism row' debacle 'could spell end game' for Charles and Harry's relationship

01 December 2023 , 23:16

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Prince Harry with King Charles (Image: Getty Images)

Prince Harry's relationship with his father is said to be even more fractured amid accusations of racism against the King and the Princess of Wales.

Prince Harry and Meghan have not yet commented after King Charles and Kate Middleton were named as the royals alleged to have made remarks about Prince Archie’s skin colour. Author Omid Scobie's book Endgame triggered a row over allegations of racism within the Royal Family as the two names were published in a Dutch translation. Mr Scobie says that he did not name the royals and he and the publisher have described it as a 'translation error'.

Dutch translator Saskia Peeters who worked on the book has insisted the titles of the King and Princess of Wales were in the manuscript she was sent and she claimed she did not add the names to the Dutch version of the book. Piers Morgan then named the pair on his TalkTV show on Wednesday evening before a series of other news organisations, including the BBC, followed suit.

King Charles and the Princess of Wales (Getty Images)

The Sun's Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams has now said: "Charles and Harry’s relationship was at an all-time low before but this may have fractured it beyond all repair. It could spell the end game for them." Mr Scobie claimed in his book that he learned letters had been exchanged between Meghan and King Charles after the Sussexes’ 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview and the situation had not been resolved. In the Oprah chat, Harry and Meghan said an unidentified member of the monarchy – but not Queen Elizabeth or Prince Philip, had raised "concerns and conversations about how dark his [Archie’s] skin might be when he’s born."

When the Sussexes made their explosive allegations on Oprah, in an interview broadcast around the world, they set in motion a public debate about who in the royal family might harbour such allegedly racially charged views. In a multicultural modern Britain such allegations against the monarchy generated debate on a matter of such public importance with Scobie's new book claiming to add to that public debate.

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Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted the alleged comments were "not remotely racist." The naming of the two royals across the UK and international media has plunged the monarchy into crisis and Buckingham Palace maintains that "all options" are open for their own response, as the King has flown home from the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai and into discussions about how to deal with the row.

The Prince and Princess of Wales were the first members of the royal family to face public questions about the race row when a member of the press shouted out to them when they arrived at the Royal Variety Performance on Thursday night. William was asked: "Your royal highness, have you got a comment about Omid Scobie's book?". Another question was directed at the couple: "Did you watch the Piers Morgan show last night, your royal highness?". The couple did not respond to either question.

Rachel Hagan