British journalist Omid Scobie’s new book, Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival, will be released on November 28, 2023, and by all reports, it’s explosive. The author claims that the book reveals many failures and episodes of which the British royal family should be “ashamed.”
With “bombshell after bombshell” expected in Endgame, Buckinghamshire Palace must be bracing itself. A royal insider reportedly stated they’ve “been told this is bad, very bad.” Perhaps particularly alarming to Kensington Palace is Scobie’s position that Prince William is “power hungry.”
As a well-established royal reporter with insider connections, Scobie has access to credible sources, and he avows that his book is well-researched and verified. But could his claims about Prince William be true?
Inevitably, we won’t know all the claims and have all the information we need to make an informed judgment until we’ve read the book. But let’s look at some well-known facts and opinions that could back up what we know so far about Endgame’s characterization of William.
Charles III Coronation Day Controversy
William and Kate made sophisticated social media videos on the day of King Charles III’s coronation that seemed intended to draw attention to them instead of the new king. Sarah Vine of The Daily Mail referred to these productions as “Hollywood-style” and even “manipulative.”
There is even suspicion that William and Kate were late to the coronation, their tardiness attributed to making these highly stylized, cinematic videos showing them in their coronation robes. King Charles III was forced to wait in his carriage for his son and daughter-in-law to arrive, and this caused quite a bit of confusion at the time.
Could some passive aggression be at play here? Additionally, some people thought that William looked less than enthusiastic, even miserable throughout the ceremony.
Intriguing Comments in Indonesia
While the desire and determination to create positive change is always commendable, some experts wonder about William’s motivations for saying he wants to “go a step further” than the kind of thing his family has done in the past.
It’s not the substance of the comment but the possible reasons William said it that have raised eyebrows. Perhaps there are suspicions that he wanted to call attention to his father and stepmother’s advanced age, positioning himself as the real changemaker?
It seems certain that William feels competitive with his father. As Charles biographer Penny Junor told Newsweek in 2021, “it’s always going to be a little bit difficult.” She explains that the usual competition between a father and son is heightened by the fact that Charles and William do “similar” jobs.
Intense Rivalry with Prince Harry
No one can know all the intricacies of the relationship between William and his younger brother. However, there are indications that William has been extraordinarily competitive with Harry, perhaps to the point of unfairness.
After all, William is the elder brother. No matter what Harry ever did, he could never be the heir and would never be king. Yet William seemed to feel the need to overshadow his younger brother in every area. For example, when Harry first wanted to do work in Africa, William apparently felt threatened by that.
In fact, William once allegedly declared: “Rhinos, elephants, that’s mine!, as if he thought no one else could possibly make a contribution to conservation, and especially not the younger brother of which he was apparently jealous.
The Standard also reported Harry’s claim that William was jealous when Harry shared his plans to start the Invictus Games.
Families are Complicated, Even Royal Ones
No matter how much we think we know about famous families like the British royals, we simply don’t know what goes on behind the scenes. Books like Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival give us a peek inside this secretive world.
