The Duchess of Sussex and the Princess of Wales were encouraged to dress like their late mother-in-law so that some of her glow would “reflect on them”, the Sussexes’ biographer claims.
Omid Scobie, 42, claims in his new book that “an enormous amount of effort” went into channeling Diana, Princess of Wales, and that both William and Harry were consulted on such decisions.
“Over the past thirteen years, Diana cosplay has become a royal fixture,” he writes.
The extraordinary claim is made in Endgame, Scobie’s latest offering, which is released on Tuesday.
The first review, published in The New York Times, said Endgame was “dedicated to righting minor slights against the Sussexes,” including the now infamous row between Meghan and Catherine over who made who cry at a bridesmaid dress fitting.
“The tabloids have rightly been accused of pitting one royal bride against another, so it is shocking when Scobie, whose tone is always morally high-minded, employs a similar tactic,” the paper says.
The overall theme, according to Scobie, is that the monarchy is at a crossroads and its future is in crisis.
He labels the institution “tone deaf, racist and financially reckless,” the review said, while rubbing salt in the wounds by adding that it has all gone downhill since Charles became king.
“When Queen Elizabeth II was at the helm, she managed to keep much of it at bay,” he writes.
In comparison, the Duke and Duchess are “in a good place” and pay no attention to negative headlines. Harry is said to be working on something in the “military space,” while Meghan, according to a source, is “building something more accessible… something rooted in her love of detail, curation, hosting, the simple pleasures of life and family. ”
On attempts to emulate Diana, Scobie quotes a royal source who worked with both William, 41, and Harry, 39, who claims such “decisions” were always discussed with them.
‘Were there gentle nudges from others? Sometimes. Someone was known to go back and pull up images of Diana at a certain place or time for ideas,” the source said, according to an excerpt seen by the New York Post.
Scobie adds: “At the right time this can be a sweet gesture, but there is also a slightly queasy feeling when you realize that it is often orchestrated within the same system that contributed to her living misery, and an institution that continues to wants some of Diana’s shine. to rub them off.”
Both the Princess, 41, and the Duchess, 42, have often compared their own choice of clothing to that of their late mother-in-law, although there has never been any public confirmation that this was intentional.
In 1987, Diana wore a baby pink, off-the-shoulder Catherine Walker dress to a ballet in Berlin, which was similar to a Carolina Herrera dress Meghan wore to Trooping the Color in 2018.
By comparison, the princess has worn several outfits reminiscent of Diana’s, including the strapless, black velvet dress with a ruffle at the bodice that she chose for the Sun’s Military Awards in 2011, which was similar to a dress Diana wore in Goldsmiths’ Hall in London in 2011. 1981 and the red skirt suit with black belt and black sweater in 2001, which was almost identical to an orange outfit Diana wore in Liverpool in 1995.
Scobie, who told The Sunday Times he was aware he was “quite hated in Britain” and currently rents a house in Hollywood, is said to have orchestrated his own marketing strategy to publicize the book, prompting his British publishers would largely get into trouble. dark.
The only newspaper that sent a copy in advance for review appears to have been The New York Times, which surmised: “We’ve heard a lot about it.”
The review, published on Sunday, adds: “Whether or not Scobie actively collaborated with Meghan and Harry on this book, he is not doing them any favors. Their chapter reads like a press release concocted by ChatGPT, and does little to shed light on them as people.”
Scobie has insisted that neither Harry nor Meghan contributed directly to the 400-page book.
The Sussexes have distanced themselves from the tome, while both Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace declined to comment.
Queen Camilla is not a fan of waking up. Scobie claims the Queen rolls her eyes when topics like gender identity or veganism come up.
A former assistant says, “Even gluten-free or dairy-free options on a restaurant menu irritate her.”
The book also claims that after Piers Morgan called Meghan the “Pinocchio Princess” on Twitter in 2021 when she spoke about being suicidal, Camilla “quietly thanked him for defending the Firm.”
Scobie suggests Buckingham Palace lied when it said Camilla would never become queen.
However, he notes that she is now “finally tolerated by the public.”
He also seems unable to resist the reference to ‘tampongate’, a private telephone conversation between Camilla and Charles from 1989, which was recorded without their knowledge.
Scobie portrays the princess as “a woman terrified of doing more than grinning photo ops” and claims she had to be persuaded to appear in Blue Peter in 2019.
He told The Sunday Times: “In reporting on Kate we infantilize her enormously so that the bar is always lowered.
“The little achievements we’ve seen from the Princess of Wales might go unnoticed if it were from any other member of the Royal Family, but with Kate it’s like ‘wow!’”
Scobie claims the princess is copying Meghan’s dress sense and suggests her Hold Still lockdown photo project is “reminiscent” of Meghan’s 2018 Grenfell cookbook, Together.
However, he suggests the 41-year-old mother of three jokingly shudders when Meghan’s name is mentioned. Charles is a “flawed father”.
The book also focuses on the king, who is ‘often jealous’ of his sons’ popularity and is said to have used Harry’s drug problems in his teenage years to improve his own image.
Charles called Prince Harry a ‘fool’ for making a Netflix documentary series, but has been accused of ‘incompetence’ in dealing with the whole Harry and Meghan saga.
He is depicted in the book as a lavish spender and a spoiled man who insists on having his shoelaces ironed and travels with 1000 thread count bed linen that needs to be perfectly steamed.
Scobie claims that before Elizabeth II died, royal aides believed he was not fit for the top job because he lacked both “the moxie” and “the vision for the family’s next chapter.”
He adds: “There has been a kind of realization of what the role is compared to that of the Prince of Wales, where there was a bit more freedom and… personality.”
William is in ‘heir mode’ and on a collision course with the king
The Prince of Wales, 41, has been described as a hot-headed ‘journeyman’ who is increasingly willing to allow the palace to employ ‘dirty tricks’.
Scobie claims that Prince William is a power-hungry figure who is in “heir mode” and on course to clash with his father, the King.
“It would have been nice to see them come together on certain projects, maybe in the early years, to strengthen that united front, but they are all working in silos,” he told the Sunday Times.
Both the prince and the princess are said to have found the mocking statements about Harry and Meghan in South Park ‘hilarious’.
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