Dutch copy of controversial Endgame that names 'racist royals' to be auctioned

05 December 2023 , 10:12

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Rick Evers, who has been a royal correspondent in the Netherlands for 14 years (Image: Sky News)

A Dutch journalist who claims to be the first to spot the naming of two royals who allegedly raised concerns about Prince Archie's skin colour in Omid Scobie's Endgame is now auctioning his copy for charity.

Royal correspondent Rick Evers is selling off the translated original copy, with proceeds to go to a charity called Autersbond which supports writers and translators. Copies of the book have been pulled from the shelves in the Netherlands after the blunder in which the pair were identified as King Charles and Kate.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, 36-year-old Mr Evers wrote: "I have decided to have my copy of ENDGAME auctioned for charity. It's one of the few before it was banned, which played the leading role on UK, US, Australian and Canadian TV.

Royal journalist rick Evers originally spotted the error in the Dutch version of Endgame and is now auctioning the axed version off for charity (@RickEversRoyal/X)

"Proceeds will go to @autersbond, in honour of the translators who unwittingly ended up in a media storm." Mr Evers added: "Later this week the reprint of Endgame will be published by @XanderUitgevers, but without the names in question being mentioned, which were also missing in all other versions worldwide. A very special copy. Bidding starts on Wednesday."

Reports of the rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family have only deepended in recent weeks. It comes as the Dutch translation of Mr Scobie's latest book – Endgame – was removed from shelves just after it was published in the Netherlands - and hit the headlines after an apparent error that named King Charles and the Princess of Wales as the two royals who voiced "concerns" over the skin tone of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son Archie.

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Charles and Kate were named in the Dutch version of Mr Scobie's book - and while confirming an investigation had begun at the publishers responsible for the translation, he denied including the identities of the two senior royals in his manuscript. A statement said: "Xander Uitgevers is temporarily withdrawing the book Eindstrijd by Mr Scobie from sale. An error occurred in the Dutch translation and is currently being rectified."

Omid Scobie has so far deflected blame for the error (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

When the Sussexes made their explosive allegations on Oprah in 2021, in an interview broadcast around the world, they set in train a public debate about who in the royal family might harbour such racially charged views. In a multicultural modern Britain such allegations against the monarchy generated debate on a matter of such public importance with Mr Scobie's new book claiming to add to that public debate.

Speaking of his frustration with the scandal that has sent shockwaves through the monarchy, Mr Scobie laid the blame squarely on the publisher in the Netherlands, saying: "I never submitted a book that had those names in it." But in a twist, the Dutch translator who worked on the book insisted the titles of the King and Princess of Wales were in the manuscript she was sent. Saskia Peeters claimed she did not add the names to the Dutch version of the book.

The Royal Family has not commented on the allegations publicly but we reported that The Firm was set to take legal advice. Palace aides were said to be still scrambling for information as to how excerpts in the Dutch version could have appeared as an "error" from the translated text.

The row comes as the King and Kate are set to meet for the first time since being names on Tuesday evening, while Prince William is to discuss the crisis with senior royal aides this week. So far however it's "business as usual" for the royals who will continue with duties this week.

The King, Queen Camilla, William and Kate will be at Buckingham Palace tonight as more than 500 members of the Diplomatic Corps attend a pre-Christmas celebration. On Friday, Kate will host a charity Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey, which will be attended by other members of the Royal Family, charity representatives and community stalwarts.

Meanwhile the book has already fallen out of the Amazon Top 100 list. The 400-page hardback currently sits 139th in the UK bestseller book charts based on Amazon sales, which are updated hourly to reflect live sales. Endgame ranked at 77 on the day of its release on Tuesday last week and sat at number 14 by Friday.

Susie Beever