Subtle way Kate, Camilla and Sophie show unity amid Omid Scobie Endgame scandal

02 December 2023 , 11:15

1071     0

Sophie, Kate and Camilla on the balcony of Buckingham Palace (Image: WireImage)

Kate Middleton, Queen Camilla and Sophie Wessex have shown unity amid the royal "race row" in a subtle way, fans have noticed.

The Dutch version of controversial author Omid Scobie's new book Endgame named the Princess of Wales and King Charles as the members of the Firm who allegedly questioned how dark then-unborn Prince Archie's skin would be. During their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Meghan and Prince Harry had first referred to the alleged incident - though did not reveal who had supposedly made the remarks.

Royal journalist Mr Scobie - who previously penned biography Finding Freedom about the Sussexes denies being friends with the Sussexes. And he has fiercely defended himself over the row - claiming he did not include the names in any manuscripts submitted for translation. However, Saskia Peeters - who is listed in the Dutch version's preface as a translator said on Thursday she "doesn't know why" Mr Scobie would deny the names appeared in the manuscript she was given.

Publishers originally blamed a translation error - but this explanation has now been retracted, as translators in the country said this could not have been the cause. Mr Scobie told BBC's Newsnight on Thursday night it was not for him to apologise because he still wanted to know what had happened. He absolved all responsibility for the error and swore "on his life and his family’s lives" that it wasn’t a publicity stunt.

Kate at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London (REX/Shutterstock)

Sophie meeting local dancers from Incolballet, the Colombian Ballet Institute (PA)

Meanwhile, Kate, the Duchess of Edinburgh and the Queen Consort were all spotted last night wearing matching colours despite being at different events. They were all dressed in blue - a strategy they have employed in the past when the Royal Family has found itself under scrutiny, including after the Sussexes' exit from the Firm in 2020.

Teachers, civil servants and train drivers walk out in biggest strike in decade

Buckingham Palace has so far maintained their traditional approach of "never complain, never explain" after the Dutch translation of Mr Scobie's book was taken off the shelves. The Daily Express reports one eagle-eyed social media user clocked the royal trio had co-ordinated their outfits. X user @WindsorWatcher said: "Kate, Camilla, and Sophie all in blue tonight. Matching colours is something the royal women have done a lot in the past year to show support."

Queen Camilla arrives for the Rifles Awards Dinner at the City of London Guildhall (PA)

Appearing at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Kate wore a £1,288 custom Talina gown from Safiyaa, complete with crystal embellishments at the neckline. She added more sparkle with a pair of crystal and pearl earrings and a coordinating bracelet.

Meanwhile Camilla, who is Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles, attended the regiment’s biennial awards dinner at Guildhall in London as the guest of honour, dressed in a deeper but no less distinctive blue. Her outfit was a Saudi robe known as a daqlah, which had been presented to the then-Prince of Wales by designer Yahya Al Bishri when Charles visited Saudi Arabia in 1998.

Omid Scobie on BBC Newsnight (BBC)

Appearing in high spirits despite the controversy surrounding the monarchy, she thanked the regiment for their appearances at the King's Coronation and the 4,000 soldiers who paraded through the streets of London. And Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, was pictured smiling from ear to ear as she sat in on a dance programme in Colombia in support of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda working to end sexual violence in conflict. She wore a chic blue dress which she cinched at the waist with a brown belt, and complemented with wedge heels.

Great significance is often placed on the Royal Family's clothing choices and they are known to wear colour-coordinated outfits as a way of showing solidarity during times of strife. Shortly after the release of Harry and Meghan's Netflix documentary, which was littered with criticisms of the Firm, The Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Zara Tindall, and Pippa Middleton all wore burgundy as they appeared at the Together at Christmas carol service.

King Charles and Kate were named in the Dutch translation (Getty Images)

Celebrity stylist Miranda Holder told Express.co.uk at the time: "Traditionally, more junior members of the Royal Family are discouraged from wearing the same hue as their more senior counterparts at royal appointments. However, William, Kate and their family have frequently all worn similar shades of the same colour as a show of solidarity and togetherness – besides, it looking more aesthetically pleasing and subtly branded for the photographs."

The matching outfits also appear to directly contradict a statement from Meghan in the Sussexes' Netflix documentary. The Duchess said she intentionally wore neutral tones when she was living in the UK to avoid wearing the same color as other royals.

"To my understanding, you can't ever wear the same color as Her Majesty, if there's a group event," she said. "But then you also should never be wearing the same color as one of the other more senior members of the family." Mr Scobie has insisted that the naming of the two royals in his book was not an intentional publicity stunt.

When the Sussexes made their explosive allegations on Oprah, in an interview broadcast around the world, they set in train a public debate about who in the royal family might harbour such racially charged views. In a multicultural modern Britain such allegations against the monarchy generated debate on a matter of such public importance with Scobie's new book claiming to add to that public debate.

Ryan Merrifield