Omid Scobie's New Book - PART 2

[Mymilkshakebringsallthepapstomycar]

I'm not sure what is the correct etiquette for carrying on a thread, but here we are. Thanks to @BoxedandRibboned for the original thread.

Original thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_royal_family/4935714-omid-scobies-new-book?page=40&reply=131041571

@Cloud9isnowclosed I am sure Catherine will emerge looking her usual serene and immaculate self (and yes, a cheeky grin will be good!). But Lordy, imagine having all that horrible stuff being written about you, and knowing it has come from the camp of someone you used to be so close to. Poor woman.

Hmm though this book and allegations are full of holes and think that the RF would be best to continue with grey rocking. Now the Queen is dead who was very much of the "never complain, never explain" I'm not so sure that William is, allegedly according to some media outlets it was Kate who wanted the "recollections may vary" left in the statement released after the Ow interview. I would guess that lawyers for the RF will be looking at the book as I think William was intending on previous allegations to "robustly defend" allegations etc as he did regarding the Bashir interview. Personally I think the wheels are coming off for the Sussexes and their supporters. They H&M are very much tarnished by association. Though I'd be interested to know the views of others.

They've given her all the power and they can't even see it.

I think they're focussing on making sure everyone makes a will. 😂😂

Oh no! Don’t put money in that scumbags pocket!

I think they are out and about together on Thursday at the Royal Variety performance - I think together with Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden

Considering he used to go big game hunting in Arica, I don't know how he could be taken seriously on that one either.

The courageous water buffalo kill was made in Argentina. AFAIK he hasn't blotted his big-game copybook in Africa (reserved it for Balmoral deer I think) but either way a reinvented conservation champ Harold is a non-starter.

Yeah - not giving him money

This is the reason for the leaks and controversy - to get people to buy the book

Half price on Amazon already?

I couldn’t bring myself to buy it.

How many people on here have actually read it yet/are in progress?

No, which is why I didn't post on the first thread and have only made a couple of posts on this one.

But reading the reactions has in itself been interesting. There doesn't seem to have been any new bombshells after all - damp squibs rather than fireworks seems to be the consensus in what I've seen. Would that be a fair assessment, or have I missed a lot?

But that's the point - I'll make my own judgment about Scobie based on the book itself, not on the rags' articles. If he is a scumbag I'll be sure to share - don't fill up his pockets if so, and don't read The DM or The Sun either - it's even worse.

No great revelations, but a great deal of nastiness… and of course the “well, how would he know that?” bits. But most of all, the cruel jibes at Kate.

While undoubtedly worthy, the Invictus series didn’t exactly set the heather alight .

The only thing that's ever fired up the grouse moors has been the down and dirty royal revelations.

Pearl bombed, the podcast wasn't renewed and the documentary on worthy leaders others had worked so hard on to no previous avail sank without trace.

Very little money in worthy but Harold in particular has been too cossetted to see it.

Awaiting Lake thing with interest.

Are Harry and Meghan still making the drama series based on a Great Expectations backstory with Miss Havisham as a feminist icon?

Are Harry and Meghan still making the drama series based on a Great Expectations backstory with Miss Havisham as a feminist icon?

Rats.

Forgot that turkey in the making project 😁

That all went quiet - I assume because of the Hollywood strikes. Also the reason they couldn't immediately take forward that book they optioned.

Have you chatted about the Dutch version? I wil go back and look if you have.

Oh Lordy, the Miss Havisham back story has already been done, in BBC's Dickensian, and a novel by Ronald Frame called Havisham. She still ends up as a bitter, insane child abuser, hardly a ringing endorsement of feminism.

That all went quiet - I assume because of the Hollywood strikes. Also the reason they couldn't immediately take forward that book they optioned.

Now the path's been cleared I'm here for the tabloid take on both 😎

Off topic ( sorry) But why the fuck would they decide to do that? Who’s idea was that shitshow?? We don’t need female power players in everything!

In modern day Miss Haversham had mental health issues, she was not and still isn’t a feminist power icon and she doesn’t need to be, she was left to her own devices without any support and she chose to spend her life heartbroken and mourning the loss of a relationship, I’m all for female empowerment and an even playing field but don’t mess with Dickens…

H&M could pick any female leader to make money from but no, lets change a perfectly good piece of literacy and change the entire personality of one of it’s important lead characters

Did we ever find out the context of the questions about the baby's skin colour?

I've always thought there needed to be an internal conversation about that - because if the baby had been born with dark skin then we all know, sadly, what would have happened. He would have been a target for a small number of violent racists, and there would have been incessant rumours about paternity. I actually don't think a conversation about how to handle that would have been a bad thing.

Presumably it was nothing like that to have caused such hurt though.

@PurplePansy05 I admire your unwillingness to pass judgment until you have read the book. I hope you do come back and tell us if we have got it wrong. However, Scobie is part of tabloid culture, and both he and his publishers know that his book would sink without a trace without the leaks/released titbits whipping up interest/outrage/intrigue. It is also a matter of historical and anthropological interest how the press and public is reacting to a scandal that affects the head of state and his family. Our real time reactions are just that - whether we are for or against them, our impressions of the RF and allegiances are being shaped by information Scobie himself has put into the public domain in advance of his book being available to read. His complaining that both he and his book are being mischaracterised is a bit rich, when he could have just kept quiet and encouraged people to read it before commenting. But that's not how you sell sensationalist books, and he knows it.

After all, they've mastered the art of vilifying and misrepresenting people more than any author ever has.

Isn't he one of them?

OP, appreciate your explanation, but equally BRF are briefing the press here and leaking information as it suits them. I don't think any person who is part of this discourse have come across well to date, be it the tabloids, H&M, BRF or Scobie.

Personally I think H&M are extremely whiney and it never pays off to air your dirty laundry so publicly and then attempt to build careers on that basis, even if they were wronged by some members of the BRF (which I think is a real possibility) - they should've known that.

The rags are vile.

BRF is in my view entirely outdated, I'm not and I've never been a royalist, perhaps the fact I lived in other countries has contributed to this. I do not think the BRF are blameless in this public circus at all and the palace politics come across ludicrous.

Scobie comes across as if he loves himself way too much and he's obviously in it for the money - however, I read a lot of commentary in relation to his book which suggested that his opinions on the overall state and the future of the BRF are interesting and more balanced than what's being written about him. So I guess for this reason, I am actually quite curious to give it a go. If this triggers your sarcastic admiration, I guess I should say I'm flattered, cheers 😂

@Ineedwinenow We cross posted, and I totally agree. The boss lady thing is getting tiresome, particularly when it is revising historical pieces of fiction.