Buckingham Palace has responded to claims made by author Omid Scobie in his new book, Endgame, which criticizes Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh.
The book alleges that a royal source described Prince Edward as a massive germophobe who avoids physical contact with others.
However, the palace has released a video showing the Duke of Edinburgh visiting the Wharf Studios in Barking and Dagenham, East London, where he can be seen shaking hands with members of the public.
This contradicts Scobie’s claim and suggests that Prince Edward is not as germophobic as portrayed.
During his visit to the studio, Prince Edward, who is a patron of the Production Guild, met with students from Make It Here, a film program in Barking and Dagenham, as well as runners and marshals involved in high-end television productions.
This interaction with people clearly indicates that the prince is comfortable engaging in physical contact, further undermining Scobie’s assertion.
In addition to the germophobia claim, Scobie also criticizes Prince Edward and Sophie for their response to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Oprah Winfrey interview in March 2021.
Shortly after the interview aired, the couple was asked about it by the Telegraph newspaper.
Sophie reportedly jokingly responded, “Oprah who?”
and questioned whether they had watched the interview.
Scobie accuses Sophie of being casually bigoted for taking a swipe at Oprah Winfrey.
Scobie argues that Sophie’s comments about Winfrey, a successful woman of color and a prominent figure in entertainment, were insensitive and potentially discriminatory.
He suggests that her remarks reflect a lack of awareness or even prejudice.
However, it is worth noting that while Winfrey may be well-known in the United States, she may not have been as widely recognized in the UK at the time of the interview.
Scobie’s book has faced criticism for its negative portrayal of the royal family.
Australian media writer Sophie Ellsworth describes Endgame as a “disaster” and a “hate fest” targeting the royal family.
Ellsworth believes that Scobie’s bias and his tendency to defend Meghan and Harry are evident throughout the book.
She also suggests that many readers approach Scobie’s content with skepticism.
In conclusion, Buckingham Palace has released a video contradicting Omid Scobie’s claim that Prince Edward is a germophobe.
The footage shows the Duke of Edinburgh engaging in physical contact with members of the public, undermining Scobie’s assertion.
Furthermore, Scobie’s book has been criticized for its negative portrayal of the royal family, with some questioning the author’s authenticity and motives.