"End Game" by Omid Scobie - 2023

[Hallo girl]

Personally I just think when a beloved family member is near the end of their life you want to see them to say your goodbye doesnt matter what the protocol is. Also we don't know if other family members also wanted to go see the Queen, their grandmother before she passed.

I agree to a certain point, it was obvious that the Queen was failing, since she went up to Balmoral there had always been family with her, it happened to be Anne and her husband that week.

The end although expected appears to have been quite sudden, and yes it is nice for family to be there, but sometimes a peaceful setting is more desirable.

The bottom line is this was all in the Queens wishes, she supervised Operation Unicorn.

 

[Maryrose]

Thanks Hallo girl. I guess I just feel for family members not getting a chance to say goodbye (from personal experience). That being said if this was the Queen's wishes then of course those wishes should be honored.

 

[tommy100]

The end did seem very sudden, I mean HM had cameras filming her just two days before to see off one PM appoint another. This makes me wonder about the claims in the book that Harry was kept out of BPs planning in the final days - I'm not sure there is evidence there was planning of that. I mean yes, Anne was with her mother but that is from what I've read an see of Anne's engagements, the norm (she always does a number of scottish engagements at that time) and the rest of her children weren't exactly near by at the end (hence the flight) I don't think there was much planning 'of the end' for Harry to be kept from. It just sounds better for the Sussex's and Scobie's narrative to say he was kept out of it IMO

 

[Kaye1850]

Thanks Hallo girl. I guess I just feel for family members not getting a chance to say goodbye (from personal experience). That being said if this was the Queen's wishes then of course those wishes should be honored.

Perhaps the Queen had made her ‘deathbed’ wishes known beforehand, but I believe the provisions of Operations London Bridge/Unicorn only kicked in after the Monarch’s death.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Charles and Camilla had been at Birkhall as per usual in September. It just happened that they hosted a dinner at Dumfries House on the evening of the 7th and so stayed there. That is why there seems to be a 'rush' to get Charles to Balmoral. He was always supposed to return to Birkhall on the 8th but was advised to do so a little earlier than expected and to Balmoral not Birkhall.

Anne was staying at Balmoral - again as per usual. As she didn't have young children she was able to stay later while those with school age children had to be back south for the kids to be at school - so the grandkids and the Wessex's had to be back south.

Andrew and the other York's always went up early to celebrate Beatrice's birthday with the late Queen.

 

[Mbruno]

The end did seem very sudden, I mean HM had cameras filming her just two days before to see off one PM appoint another. This makes me wonder about the claims in the book that Harry was kept out of BPs planning in the final days - I'm not sure there is evidence there was planning of that. I mean yes, Anne was with her mother but that is from what I've read an see of Anne's engagements, the norm (she always does a number of scottish engagements at that time) and the rest of her children weren't exactly near by at the end (hence the flight) I don't think there was much planning 'of the end' for Harry to be kept from. It just sounds better for the Sussex's and Scobie's narrative to say he was kept out of it IMO

First of all, there is no way to verify whether the conversations that Scobie reported are factual or mere gossip. Even if Scobie's version is based on someone else's testimony to him, we know that "recollections may vary".

One thing that is clear though is that the way Scobie frames the events deliberately fits into the narrative of Harry's and especially Meghan's victimization, which is hardly surprising since that has been the "cash cow" behind different media products that have appeared in recet years in connection with the Sussexes.

Whether it had anything to do with the late Queen's wishes or not, I believe it is fair to say that King Charles himself wanted as few family members as possible at Balmoral. That is a personal choice which I would understand given the complexity of the situation and everything that had to be set in motion following the demise of a Sovereign. Considering that Kate and other royal consorts were also kept away that day, any version that suggests that there was a "personal issue" specifically with Meghan seems ill-founded in my opinion. In any case, even if there were personal issues with Meghan in particular, they wouldn't be unjustified to be honest.

 

[tommy100]

Exactly, I think Charles and probably his siblings, wanted to keep Balmoral calm and quiet especially when HLM was clearly nearing the end. I remember when our great grandmother died my grandmother quite fiercely guarded access limiting it to just her siblings and I think when the ned is near that is fair. The grandchildren arriving the next day makes perfect sense, allowing them to all mourn together and say goodbye.

 

[Hallo girl]

Perhaps the Queen had made her ‘deathbed’ wishes known beforehand, but I believe the provisions of Operations London Bridge/Unicorn only kicked in after the Monarch’s death.

Yes you are correct, but I was rounding it all in as the Queens final wishes.

 

[Asteria12]

I agree MBruno, and I personally think that Harry's comments in his book about that day prove just how well the public were bamboozled about his character. What a piece of work he is to treat his father in such a callous way, and then have the audacity to write about it as if its something to be proud of. I usually try to maintain a balanced view of the family members, but that, along with so much of what he wrote in his book, disgusts me.

 

[ladongas]

Families, whether tight knit or somewhat estranged, have disagreements. Sometimes the hurt is such as to be seemingly unforgivable, or irreconcilable, and the estrangement is permanent.

Yet other families are able to forgive, if not forget, and remain a family united. It seems to me that Harry should be given the benefit of the doubt in consideration of the tragedies HE has had to absorb and forgive.

Most parents/siblings would NEVER freeze out a family member, regardless of the competing hurts each side has endured.

 

[Granada]

It certainly appears that Queen Elizabeth went downhill EXTRAORDINARILY quick. So much so that the Family was greatly caught off guard too. Had there been alarm, or concern, Charles would have left Birkhall the day before her death, not on that morning of it, Sep 8th.

William released on September 7th, a happy-chirpy family picture of him and Kate walking the three kids to their "new" School also. Which, had there been ANY hint of anything wrong with the Queens health, never would have happened.

So, Scobie's 'spin' that Harry supposedly 'felt he was being kept in the dark' about The Queen's health is simply ridiculous. The Queen's health decline and death was unbelievably quick. Stunningly so. Greeting the then new Prime Minister Truss on Sept 6. Dead, a mere two days later.

I imagine the Family was absolutely reeling in shock and stunned by the speed and suddenness of it. Coming to terms with BOTH their grief and the unfolding gravity of it all.

Looks like though, priorities were different for certain People.....

 

[FigTree]

It certainly appears that Queen Elizabeth went downhill EXTRAORDINARILY quick. So much so that the Family was greatly caught off guard too. Had there been alarm, or concern Charles would have left Birkhall the day before her death, not on that morning of it, Sep 8th.

William released on September 7th, a happy-chirpy family picture of him and Kate walking the three kids to their "new" School also. Which, had there been ANY hint of anything wrong with the Queens health, never would have happened.

So, Scobie's 'spin' that Harry supposedly 'felt he was being kept in the dark' about The Queen's health is simply ridiculous. The Queen's health decline and death was unbelievably quick. Stunningly so. Greeting the then new Prime Minister Truss on Sept 6. Dead, a mere two days later.

I imagine the Family was absolutely reeling in shock and stunned by the speed and suddenness of it. Coming to terms with BOTH the grief and the gravity of it all.

Looks like priorities were different for certain People though.....

It was and it wasn’t. It was obvious from late summer 2021 that she was now failing. By that November it was obvious she was in decline and the clock had started. By the jubilee it was painfully obvious and actually I cried on the last day of it. I don’t think anyone though months but we knew now we weren’t talking years and probably not even a year. Harry had ample time to actually see his grandmother and spend time with her. He could have made time that summer to come alone and even spend a long weekend or a week with her. He didn’t. I don’t have any sympathy. He has amble funds and time.

 

[Asteria12]

Families, whether tight knit or somewhat estranged, have disagreements. Sometimes the hurt is such as to be seemingly unforgivable, or irreconcilable, and the estrangement is permanent.

Yet other families are able to forgive, if not forget, and remain a family united. It seems to me that Harry should be given the benefit of the doubt in consideration of the tragedies HE has had to absorb and forgive.

Most parents/siblings would NEVER freeze out a family member, regardless of the competing hurts each side has endured.

I won't get this thread off track Mods!, but I will just say in response, most people don't repeatedly and very publicly crucify their family for money. I personally am usually willing to give people the benefit of the doubt for the most part, but Harry's behaviour in the past few years has seriously worn that away. I cannot see how his personal tragedies (shared by others in the family, not just him) balance out his offensive actions towards the people who love him, his father in particular. Just my opinion, naturally!

 

[Hallo girl]

It was and it wasn’t. It was obvious from late summer 2021 that she was now failing. By that November it was obvious she was in decline and the clock had started. By the jubilee it was painfully obvious and actually I cried on the last day of it. I don’t think anyone though months but we knew now we weren’t talking years and probably not even a year. Harry had ample time to actually see his grandmother and spend time with her. He could have made time that summer to come alone and even spend a long weekend or a week with her. He didn’t. I don’t have any sympathy. He has amble funds and time.

The photograph issued of the Queen with Liz Truss told the story. I discussed this photograph with my friend at 9.30 on the 8th, we both agreed we would be lucky to still have her by Xmas. By 12.30 we knew the end was coming, royal watchers knew by the wording , she had been unwell before but the family did not rush to her bedside. The end does appear to have come quicker than expected.

 

[rominet09]

I won't get this thread off track Mods!, but I will just say in response, most people don't repeatedly and very publicly crucify their family for money. I personally am usually willing to give people the benefit of the doubt for the most part, but Harry's behaviour in the past few years has seriously worn that away. I cannot see how his personal tragedies (shared by others in the family, not just him) balance out his offensive actions towards the people who love him, his father in particular. Just my opinion, naturally!

I totally agree with you, how can anybody trust them again ?

 

[MARG]

I would suggest that denying his brother a ride to Balmoral at such a time shows that he is one cold unit. At such a time everything else should have been shelved until after the death and subsequent funeral. The behavior throughout that time shows that William is able to not only hurt someone supposedly close to him but take pleasure in doing it.

Harry is no saint but then neither is William, aka "basher bill" from preschool. As to protecting his "family", that was not the case then and if I had a niggling doubt, the fact that Charles and William had left with Camilla to dine together with not a word or a note to Harry displays icy vindictiveness on a scale I would not previously ever thought of from members of the BRF. Now when I see the odd placard 'NOT MY KING' I have to wonder because the Charles never seemed cold let alone cruel. I have followed him since media gave him heaps about having big ears, all the way through talking to plants and then, finally, being vindicated on his agricultural views, and many other streams of life that he was involved in.

Now, from my distant view, while TMs are acquitting themselves extremely well, far better than their worst critics predicted, but as soon as Harry's name is spoken there is an icy chill followed by c.old, callous, vitriol neatly packaged and released by Palace Aides. The lack of warmth, love, forgiveness or even tolerance is in direct contradiction to every other aspect of TMs public lives. This callous attitude is what is more likely to negatively impact their public persona as they continue to score own goals.

 

[Hallo girl]

I would suggest that denying his brother a ride to Balmoral at such a time shows that he is one cold unit. At such a time everything else should have been shelved until after the death and subsequent funeral. The behavior throughout that time shows that William is able to not only hurt someone supposedly close to him but take pleasure in doing it.

Harry is no saint but then neither is William, aka "basher bill" from preschool. As to protecting his "family", that was not the case then and if I had a niggling doubt, the fact that Charles and William had left with Camilla to dine together with not a word or a note to Harry displays icy vindictiveness on a scale I would not previously ever thought of from members of the BRF. Now when I see the odd placard 'NOT MY KING' I have to wonder because the Charles never seemed cold let alone cruel. I have followed him since media gave him heaps about having big ears, all the way through talking to plants and then, finally, being vindicated on his agricultural views, and many other streams of life that he was involved in.

Now, from my distant view, while TMs are acquitting themselves extremely well, far better than their worst critics predicted, but as soon as Harry's name is spoken there is an icy chill followed by c.old, callous, vitriol neatly packaged and released by Palace Aides. The lack of warmth, love, forgiveness or even tolerance is in direct contradiction to every other aspect of TMs public lives. This callous attitude is what is more likely to negatively impact their public persona as they continue to score own goals.

We only have one side of the story and are unlikely to hear the other side so nobody can really be sure of anything with regards messages or conversations that may or may not have taken place.

 

[Katiedidit]

Absolutely agree.

 

[TLLK]

We only have one side of the story and are unlikely to hear the other side so nobody can really be sure of anything with regards messages or conversations that may or may not have taken place.

I agree with this statement.

 

[Iluvbertie]

It certainly appears that Queen Elizabeth went downhill EXTRAORDINARILY quick. So much so that the Family was greatly caught off guard too. Had there been alarm, or concern, Charles would have left Birkhall the day before her death, not on that morning of it, Sep 8th.

William released on September 7th, a happy-chirpy family picture of him and Kate walking the three kids to their "new" School also. Which, had there been ANY hint of anything wrong with the Queens health, never would have happened.

So, Scobie's 'spin' that Harry supposedly 'felt he was being kept in the dark' about The Queen's health is simply ridiculous. The Queen's health decline and death was unbelievably quick. Stunningly so. Greeting the then new Prime Minister Truss on Sept 6. Dead, a mere two days later.

I imagine the Family was absolutely reeling in shock and stunned by the speed and suddenness of it. Coming to terms with BOTH their grief and the unfolding gravity of it all.

Looks like though, priorities were different for certain People.....

Charles DID leave Birkhall the day before her death. He went to Dumfries and hosted a dinner there as recorded in the Court Circular for the evening of the 7th. He was always going to return to Birkhall on the 8th. He only stayed at Dumfries due to the convenience of being able to sleep where he, and Camilla, had eaten. Rather than returning to Birkhall the next morning he was advised to go straight to Balmoral, which he did although he did, reportedly also return to Birkhall before she died and again after she died. Birkhall and Balmoral aren't that far apart.

 

[FigTree]

We only have one side of the story and are unlikely to hear the other side so nobody can really be sure of anything with regards messages or conversations that may or may not have taken place.

I absolutely agree with this. We don’t know anything at all.

 

[Hallo girl]

That seems sensible that a second call would have been made after the Sussexes announced they were traveling to Balmoral. Even more so as we know that none of the other grandchildren and spouses were going to Balmoral that day apart from William without Catherine.

I have rewatched the programme on the Queens last day, Harry and Meghan made a statement that they were both travelling to Balmoral, some time later Omid Scobie put out a tweet, quoting sources as saying that Harry would be travelling on his own.

 

[suztav]

Harry has all of his mother's self-destructive paranoid qualities. JMHO

 

[FigTree]

Harry has all of his mother's self-destructive paranoid qualities. JMHO

I agree. He won’t see it though. It’s history not repeating itself but rhyming. I’ve just reached that age where well known people, when I was young, children have started appearing in the public eye and I am left stunned thinking you are just like them. Heard Tony Blair’s son on a podcast the other day and could have sworn it was my memory of his father. William on the other hand has studiously avoided all those qualities. Diana always said he was more like his father and a Harry her.

 

[Hallo girl]

Charles DID leave Birkhall the day before her death. He went to Dumfries and hosted a dinner there as recorded in the Court Circular for the evening of the 7th. He was always going to return to Birkhall on the 8th. He only stayed at Dumfries due to the convenience of being able to sleep where he, and Camilla, had eaten. Rather than returning to Birkhall the next morning he was advised to go straight to Balmoral, which he did although he did, reportedly also return to Birkhall before she died and again after she died. Birkhall and Balmoral aren't that far apart.

They did leave Dumfries House ( Ayrshire ) earlier than planned, Camilla was scheduled to record an interview with Jenna Bush that morning , it was pulled literally at the last minute. The couple then went by helicopter to Balmoral.

 

[akina21]

We only have one side of the story and are unlikely to hear the other side so nobody can really be sure of anything with regards messages or conversations that may or may not have taken place.

Actually we do have another account , coming from Harry himself who told us that he was arguing with his dad because he wanted to bring Meghan along ( and making William, Andrew and Edward waiting on the airfield). And because the idea that Charles had to fight with his son while his mother was dying went down with a heavy thud this is obviously an attempt to rewrite history in his favour.

 

[Hallo girl]

Actually we do have another account , coming from Harry himself who told us that he was arguing with his dad because he wanted to bring Meghan along ( and making William, Andrew and Edward waiting on the airfield). And because the idea that Charles had to fight with his son while his mother was dying went down with a heavy thud this is obviously an attempt to rewrite history in his favour.

I have never been aware that it was confirmed that the plane was waiting for Harry, it does make sense , the air force base is roughly 30 minute drive from Windsor. The family must have known since morning that there was an issue, a flight was arranged, Harry himself has said that he had words with his father over Meghan travelling so maybe it did wait for him. The thing is we only have Harrys version of the story, he claims William did not get back to him, could somebody else have got in touch regarding arrangements. Just because William didn't respond does not mean that nobody came back to him.

 

[KristehH]

Yes, I think that Harry/Meghan/Scobie have made exaggerated or plain misleading statements before, so I do not take their word that seriously. Just because they say something happened, that certainly doesn't mean it's the whole story.

 

[Durham]

Actually we do have another account , coming from Harry himself who told us that he was arguing with his dad because he wanted to bring Meghan along ( and making William, Andrew and Edward waiting on the airfield).

Shocking if true.

Two sons being made to wait to visit their mother by some drama over their nephew. If accurate that could lead to some seriously bitter feelings towards Harry by his uncles & who could blame them.

 

[muriel]

It certainly appears that Queen Elizabeth went downhill EXTRAORDINARILY quick. So much so that the Family was greatly caught off guard too. Had there been alarm, or concern, Charles would have left Birkhall the day before her death, not on that morning of it, Sep 8th.

William released on September 7th, a happy-chirpy family picture of him and Kate walking the three kids to their "new" School also. Which, had there been ANY hint of anything wrong with the Queens health, never would have happened.

So, Scobie's 'spin' that Harry supposedly 'felt he was being kept in the dark' about The Queen's health is simply ridiculous. The Queen's health decline and death was unbelievably quick. Stunningly so. Greeting the then new Prime Minister Truss on Sept 6. Dead, a mere two days later.

I imagine the Family was absolutely reeling in shock and stunned by the speed and suddenness of it. Coming to terms with BOTH their grief and the unfolding gravity of it all.

Looks like though, priorities were different for certain People.....

Well said,@Granada. I could not agree more.