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

I think that Harry was/is besotted by Meghan - here was someone who listened to him and all his complaints. Her Cali style was new and refreshing and it swept him away. The two of them came together and everything was all wonderful until it wasn't. Harry has never been able to break out of his mental constraints though and has continued to drag the pair of them down. Meghan has ended up being painted as the wicked witch and is trying to cling onto any fame that she once had as a solo person. Yet again they have been scuppered by talk and insinuations that are out there and can never be taken back. Meanwhile in the UK things have moved on and K and W are now in their established roles and yes they look good doing it. Life in California hasn't changed - Harry still whingeing, projects cancelled and the odd invitation to an event.

Scobie isn’t doing himself any favours in the credibility stakes with mistakes like this about the late Queen’s time of death and confusing her funeral with her late husband’s

Where is the editorial and legal responsibility from OS's publishers? Didn't someone try to fact check him? Didn't his editor advise him that his words don't come across as well balanced and objective and - frankly - serious and grown up?

I don’t think those things sell, Mymilk

It's even the stuff about Charles needing someone to put his toothpaste on his toothbrush for him - that was said years ago by Diana when Charles had broken his arm. So to use those decades-old anecdotes as a stick to beat him is just insane

Unfortunately, I think you are correct, @Medlady. A bit of scurrilous tripe to make a fast buck (this book will sell hugely). However, the publishers do put themselves at risk of a libel case. If not from the RF, from someone like Piers Morgan.

I don't know about you, but I will definitely be ironing my shoelaces in solidarity!

But seriously, KC is a bloke who has been pictured in the most worn and battered old jackets and who talks about eeking out the same cake all week. He doesn't come across as being precious about being served. I think Omid's watched too much Downton Abbey.

The ironic thing of it all is that OS just comes across as a spiteful idiot rehashing old news and putting a spin on more up to date events. His reputation must now be in the gutter as this really is a gutter read.

It doesn't reflect well on H&M either because of their past/current (?) association with him. Unless they issue some form of statement saying they refute some of the "facts" proclaimed by OS, by staying quiet it looks as though they endorse his comments.

Yet the people who are having the mud flung at them are the ones who are towering above this unedifying nonsense and showing themselves to be way above this petty, spiteful nonsense. Thank god that most of the RF, and especially the Princess of Wales, act with decorum and grace.

@themessygarden

The couple, he claims, retain the power to reveal more about the “dismal record” of the Royal family’s treatment of women who married in, whom they allegedly view as “ultimately disposable”.

Oh the irony of the fact that Scobie is attacking the women that married into the royal family. Princess Anne, Zara, Beatrice and Eugenie all come out unscathed from what I know.

I just read that he lied about his age to a Times reporter. When challenged, he adamantly denied lying about it. The reporter then said it was all on tape. He had to backtrack and said in a recent interview he was naive and it was a mistake.

How can you believe anyone who would lie about something as fundamental as their age which is easily checked. And then double down on the lie when challenged. Why even lie about something like that, just bizarre.

It really does put huge question marks over his credibility as a journalist.

I wonder if it has occurred to them that while no one would wish to keep them away from Charles’ funeral, they are very unlikely to be invited to William’s coronation or anything after that

at which point their USP will have dwindled to nothing, and their kids won’t benefit from the connection.

maybe they’d rather see the monarchy trashed/ in turmoil/ pulled down than be outside the magic circle?

What's most bizarre is that he thought no one would check! Which speaks volumes for why he's getting so pissy now that other journos are pulling the book apart - did he really not think they would check his claims and point out the errors?

Some people just think that they can re-write their own reality and everyone else will fall in line with their fantasy. I watch Traffic Cops on 5Star and the number of times after a chase the police they haul him (always a him, for some reason) out of the seat and it's 'I wasn't driving! I wasn't driving!' and I'm sitting there muttering, 'Mate, they've got on you on film being hauled out of the driver's seat and you're the only one in the car.' People like Scooby seem to construct their reality as they go along but why they think anyone else is going to believe it is anyone's guess.

I think the longer they keep on doing this, the more negatively people view them and the more positively people view the RF who maintain a dignified silence and get on with it. Ten years from now, the Wales children will be blooming and in the spotlight (poor them). H & M will be middle aged and much less interesting.
I think if you want to talk about Endgame for anyone, it's them because I honestly don't know what the future is for them. Spotify have cancelled them and the only thing they've given to NF is a series trashing the RF. Invictus will likely endure but what else is there? Archewell? What even is that about? They've been photographed out and about quite a lot recently and I wonder if that's the PR machine keeping them in the public eye. M looked quite desperate at a red carpet event last week and had to be moved on as she overstayed her welcome. Meanwhile K looked amazing at the state dinner.

That's because H&M don't have any beef with any of them. Well, maybe Princess Anne over Frogmore, but she did seem to be quite kind to Harry when the Queen died (red feather excepted).

The fundamental narrative is:

William got all the sausages in life. That's not fair. Mummy said we should share everything. I am always held back because of this. William is a power hungry beast who didn't listen to mummy about sharing with me; and

Catherine is a dimwit, talentless nobody who bagged the big prize. That's not fair. What's so special about her? Nothing. There were better candidates for the job, who could have made the RF fit for the future. She's really not very good at it, she can't do speeches and isn't a serious feminist like some of us are.

The dismal record of women who married in? Well there was Diana, a naive teenager caught up in a marriage of convenience and her own mental health issues, affairs and wanting to break away. Nobody thought she was disposable, the RF didn't want her and Charles to divorce, until her public complaining made things untenable. Her death had nothing to do with the RF.

Sarah Ferguson, whose divorce had nothing to do with anybody other than her and Andrew - she wanted to work and could not do so as a princess. Most of her bad press came not from the RF, but her own antics, like toe sucking with her financial adviser. And in any event, her ex never treated her as disposable, he clearly has a huge amount of affection for her and continued co-habiting with her, and the Queen apparently really liked her. Only Philip seemed to dislike her.

Sophie, who after a rocky start (again, self inflicted), became an absolutely solid and beloved member of the RF, the Queen treated her like her own daughter.

After that is was Catherine and then Meghan. Going further back, it was Wallis Simpson (surely nobody is feeling like she was hard done by), and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, who was George VI's rock and became the beloved Queen Mother.

Going further back, it was Wallis Simpson (surely nobody is feeling like she was hard done by), and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, who was George VI's rock and became the beloved Queen Mother

And before her Queen Mary. I'd like to see anyone trying to regard HER as 'disposable.'

So either Harry and Meghan are aware friends/staff are providing information or those around them cannot be trusted if scobie is to be believed. Not good either way, and show a hatred towards Kate that again if Scobie is telling the truth that Harry and Meghan feel.

Isn't their right hand man, James Holt, a former palace aid. So OS can legitimately describe him as a "former palace insider" or "former palace aid" for snide remarks about those still in he RF.

M looked quite desperate at a red carpet event last week and had to be moved on as she overstayed her welcome. Meanwhile K looked amazing at the state dinner.

It was a huge contrast wasn't it, and really underlined what H&M gave up to go and live as celebs in CA, singing for their supper and attending irrelevant events just to be seen (Variety's 'Power of Women' event 🙄). Think of the global stars they'd be right now if they'd stayed in the RF. With KC on the throne and Harry his second DS they'd have a huge, public, glittering role to play. They'd have a global audience for whatever causes they wanted to champion, they'd be wheeled out at huge state events wearing couture and jewels, and they gave all that up to go and wear beige on some nothing red carpet in LA. What utter folly.

This is the book he wants to say he was inspired to write by a Toni Morrison quote.

I think Meghan looked absolutely stunning on the red carpet Variety event, the best she's ever looked. However, what was her purpose there other than (irony of ironies) to pose, look pretty and be photographed? The whole event was just a contrivance, a magazine thinking it has the power/clout to decide who is powerful and who is not, mostly based on looks, current acting success and vague notions of philanthropy (that are often tied to tax management and management public relations). Catherine was being one of the hosts at a state event, having to welcome, talk with and build relationships with world leaders. And look stunning while doing it. There's no comparison.

@cheezncrackers that is the part that makes no sense. If they had wanted to leave to avoid the spotlight, totally understandable. They could almost be anonymous by now if they had left and just lived quietly out of sight. Many A listers manage it easily.

But Meghan at least wants to be on the red carpet - why else turn up to that Variety event? But to turn up as just another celebrity taking their turn in front of the cameras and then being ushered on. Surely what a come down. Compared to the Lion King Premier - where they were the main event and A listers were standing around waiting to be introduced to them.

They could have had that life still. Where they walk the carpet after the celebs have already had their moment and gone in - as the main stars of the show. Everyone waiting for them to arrive.

“A friend of the Duchess told the author: 'Meghan is busy working on creating something safe and timeless. And something that won’t be accused of riding on the back of anything royal”

Does this mean she is going to cast off the shackles of her Royal title ?

Agreed @cheezncrackers how the mighty have fallen and it’s only going to get worse for them, they are not young anymore and the currency of ‘Hollywood royalty’ is youth, Harry and particularly Meghan are running out of this fast and considering they don’t have any other talent to offer they are going to struggle. A positive thing about real royalty is your age doesn’t matter, of course younger members get more media attention but you can still work for your chosen causes and charities, attend state banquets, get the top seat everywhere you go, wear the Crown Jewels no matter how old you get, you still matter in your old age, Hollywood not so much…..

They made the mistake of believing the public (and probably more intoxicating - celebrity/world leader) attention, admiration and deference was for their star power as individuals as opposed to the star power of their roles as senior royals. Prince Philip always warned against it. It helped that they were young and glamorous but most of the Royals were once and all had their time in the sun.

In the royal family there was always a ceiling to their importance, there would always people in front of them and that list of people was growing larger by the year.

They thought they could step away and rise above them all, Diana style. Had Diana lived though she may have experienced a decline in stardom over the years - but then she would have always been the mother of King. She died at the height of her fame and beauty which has mythologised her.