On Omid Scobie’s book, NATASHA LIVINGSTONE sifts fact from fiction…
The Royal Household’s diversity drive is merely a PR stunt.
Proof of Prince William’s famous statement that ‘we’re very much not a racist family’ was the appointment of the British-Nigerian cultural anthropologist Eva Omaghomi as Charles and Camilla’s director of community engagement. The King’s commitment to employing staff from a broad range of ethnic backgrounds dates back decades. A typical example is how, in 1998, he hired as his press secretary Colleen Harris, whose family came from Guyana. It was said she ‘helped turn Charles into a human being’.
William ‘distanced’ himself from Harry after his wedding to Meghan.
The Sussexes married in May 2018, after which rumours slowly spread that the brothers were growing apart. But William, Harry, Kate and Meghan made a number of smiling public appearances together after that. These included arriving to attend the 2018 Christmas morning church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham together, maintaining their reputation as the tight-knit ‘Fab Four’.
The monarchy is unpopular with the public and in decline.
A poll published in the Daily Mail during the King’s Coronation week in May found that more than half of Britons would vote for a constitutional monarchy. Sixty-five per cent of the 11,450 people surveyed agreed that the Royal Family was ‘an asset for the UK’.
Charles might have preferred life as Camilla’s tampon.
This cruelly references a jokey, private phone conversation between Camilla and Charles in 1989 that was recorded without their knowledge and four years later made public by a redtop tabloid newspaper. Charles was making a juvenile quip about turning into a Tampax which was typical of his Goon Show-style humour.
The King offered an olive branch by inviting Harry to his Coronation despite the publication of his son’s book Spare, which included hurtful allegations about the Royal Family. But it was reported that Harry delayed replying because he was engaged in ‘transatlantic pingpong’ and was ‘preoccupied’ by where he would have to sit in Westminster Abbey.
The Palace lied by promising Camilla would never be Queen.
Palace guidance on Camilla’s title evolved over time. In 2005, courtiers said it was ‘intended’ that the former Mrs Parker Bowles would use the HRH Princess Consort title when Charles acceded to the throne. But in 2020, Queen Elizabeth II said it was her ‘sincere wish’ that Charles’ wife would be known as Queen Consort. After the Coronation, she was referred to as just Queen Camilla.
Charles was a ‘philandering husband who destroyed the life of Princess Diana’.
Charles admitted to adultery on camera in an interview with Jonathan Dimbleby in 1994, but only after his marriage with Diana ‘became irretrievably broken down, us both having tried’. Then, the following year, Diana also admitted to infidelity in her notorious BBC Panorama interview with Martin Bashir and said she had fallen in love with cavalry officer James Hewitt. Royal author Robert Lacey wrote in his book Battle Of Brothers, published in 2020, that the young Prince William initially felt so betrayed by Diana’s confession that he wept and refused for a time to speak to his mother.
The monarchy relies on jingoism and ‘Trumpian’ efforts to remain relevant.
More than 250,000 people happily queued for hours to see Elizabeth II lie in state in London in September 2022. Interest in the Royal Family has remained high since then with all the pomp of Charles’s Coronation in May watched by almost 20 million British people when it was broadcast across 11 TV channels and services.
As the Royal Family continues to be a subject of great interest and discussion, separating facts from fiction is crucial. Omid Scobie’s book has spawned various claims and controversies, but it is essential to delve deeper and inspect the reality behind these assertions.
The appointment of Eva Omaghomi, a British-Nigerian cultural anthropologist, as the director of community engagement for Charles and Camilla, showcases the Royal Household’s commitment to diversity. Moreover, the employment of staff from diverse ethnic backgrounds, such as press secretary Colleen Harris, demonstrates the monarchy’s enduring dedication to inclusivity, which dates back decades.
Rumours of a rift between Prince William and Prince Harry after the latter’s marriage to Meghan in 2018 have circulated widely. However, public appearances of the so-called ‘Fab Four’ – William, Harry, Kate, and Meghan – attending events such as the Christmas morning church service in Sandringham, indicate that the brothers maintained a unified front and a close bond even amid media scrutiny.
Contrary to claims of the monarchy’s unpopularity and decline, a poll conducted during the King’s Coronation week revealed that more than half of Britons would vote for a constitutional monarchy. Additionally, 65% of the surveyed individuals agreed that the Royal Family is an asset to the United Kingdom, highlighting continued public support.
Certain claims circulating about Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, maliciously refer to a private phone conversation from 1989 that was recorded without their consent and subsequently made public. These references are part of the Prince’s unique sense of humor, resembling the style of comedy found in shows like the Goon Show.
Efforts to reconcile Prince Charles and Prince Harry following the publication of Harry’s book Spare were reportedly made. The King extended an olive branch by inviting Harry to his Coronation, demonstrating a desire for reconciliation and unity. However, delays in response from Harry due to his busy schedule and concerns about seating arrangements at Westminster Abbey may have contributed to perceived resistance.
The issue of Camilla’s title has evolved over time. Initial courtier statements suggested she would be known as HRH Princess Consort upon Charles’s ascension to the throne. However, Queen Elizabeth II expressed her sincere wish during the 2020 announcement that Camilla should hold the title of Queen Consort. Following the Coronation, Camilla has been referred to as Queen Camilla.
The contentious topic of Charles and Diana’s marriage continues to be subject to scrutiny. Charles admitted to adultery in a 1994 interview, but only after their marriage had irretrievably broken down. Diana herself confessed to infidelity in her well-known 1995 BBC Panorama interview. The revelation deeply affected Prince William, who initially felt betrayed by his mother’s admission.
Suggestions that the monarchy relies on jingoism and ‘Trumpian’ efforts to maintain relevance are unfounded. The significant turnout of over 250,000 people who queued for hours to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II during her lying-in-state is a testament to the enduring interest in the Royal Family. This interest persisted during King Charles’s Coronation, which drew almost 20 million British viewers across multiple channels and streaming services.
Navigating the world of royalty often involves sorting through a mix of truths, half-truths, and misinformation. With an understanding of the facts, it becomes possible to discern the reality behind the claims that capture public attention.
