"End Game" by Omid Scobie - 2023

[Durham]

The aircraft that flew the late queen’s younger sons & one of her two daughters in law up to Scotland was an RAF plane. Newly acquired by the government & still then as yet unliveried.

The next heir apparent was also on board.

I think that was a sensible passenger list for an official government plane. It was not the RAF’s responsibility to transport any other relatives of the head of state. They are not a taxi service.

 

[muriel]

The aircraft that flew the late queen’s younger sons & one of her two daughters in law up to Scotland was an RAF plane. Newly acquired by the government & still then as yet unliveried.

The next heir apparent was also on board.

I think that was a sensible passenger list for an official government plane. It was not the RAF’s responsibility to transport any other relatives of the head of state. They are not a taxi service.

I see it a little differently. If there hadn't been the suggested drama about Meghan insisting on going to Balmoral, Harry could have happily joined the other family members on the place. That was no incremental cost to the government.

 

[Durham]

A Dessault Falcon can carry nineteen passengers so yes it could have taken all of the late queen's grand children & any of their spouses if they had been within reasonable travelling distance of RAF Northolt.

I wonder if any of them were? And were they invited?

I understand viewpoints differ but private citizens having use of government transport is not something normally available. Certainly not to any of us.

 

[Hallo girl]

A Dessault Falcon can carry nineteen passengers so yes it could have taken all of the late queen's grand children & any of their spouses if they had been within reasonable travelling distance of RAF Northolt.

I wonder if any of them were? And were they invited?

I understand viewpoints differ but private citizens having use of government transport is not something normally available. Certainly not to any of us.

The remainder of the grandchildren arrived in the following days at Balmoral, that appears to have been the plan. Not sure if spouses were there as it was only the grandchildren that came out to look at the flowers.

This was all part of Operation Unicorn.

 

[FigTree]

Yes and no.

“ “. But that day—September 8, 2022—a call came in around lunchtime.
Unknown number.
Hello?
It was Pa. Granny’s health had taken a turn.
She was up at Balmoral, of course. Those beautiful, melancholy late-summer days. He hung up—he had many other calls to make—and I immediately texted Willy to ask whether he and Kate were flying up. If so, when? And how?
No response. Meg and I looked at flight options.
The press started phoning; we couldn’t delay a decision any longer. We told our team to confirm: We’d be missing the WellChild Awards and hurrying up to Scotland.”

Willy probably didn’t want to be the one to say no Meghan. Meghan is no different from any of the Queens grandchildren’s spouses. Only her children and children in law were there. As is right. William probably more in the fact he was now heir. None of the others went and certainly their spouses didn’t appear until the official funeral ceremonies. Harry was 180 in the wrong.

 

[Hallo girl]

Yes and no.

“ “. But that day—September 8, 2022—a call came in around lunchtime.
Unknown number.
Hello?
It was Pa. Granny’s health had taken a turn.
She was up at Balmoral, of course. Those beautiful, melancholy late-summer days. He hung up—he had many other calls to make—and I immediately texted Willy to ask whether he and Kate were flying up. If so, when? And how?
No response. Meg and I looked at flight options.
The press started phoning; we couldn’t delay a decision any longer. We told our team to confirm: We’d be missing the WellChild Awards and hurrying up to Scotland.”

Thank you for this GHOST, there is a difference in the detail, Times for a start.

Scobie states Charles was on his way to Balmoral ,well that was around 8.30 not lunchtime, Scobie states Harry was asked to go, he himself doesn't quite say that. It is interesting that certain details are missing but he includes the unknown number but that was in SPARE, so who knows. Scobie claiming Harry was kept in the dark does not make sense if he received a call around 8.30 but if he only heard at lunchtime. The official statement came out around 12.30, so is Harry saying he was told just before the statement went out.

Scobie also says that Eugenie phoned Harry for news, why would she not phone her father , he was either on his way or already there.

We also know that the plane missed its slot and sat an extra hour before taking off, it has never been explained why that happened.

The real story is somewhere in between.

 

[Kenya]

Perhaps this has been addressed, but I’ve never understood why Harry (and Meghan) apparently believed they should be treated as more important than the other non-Wales grandchildren.

Especially when they had no plans to see the Queen before, during, or after (had she not died) their trip. I'll always think the luckiest thing for them was that she died while they were still in England. If she had died a few days later, after they went back to California, a lot more would've been made of their failure to visit her.

 

[TLLK]

Thank you for this GHOST, there is a difference in the detail, Times for a start.

Scobie states Charles was on his way to Balmoral ,well that was around 8.30 not lunchtime, Scobie states Harry was asked to go, he himself doesn't quite say that. It is interesting that certain details are missing but he includes the unknown number but that was in SPARE, so who knows. Scobie claiming Harry was kept in the dark does not make sense if he received a call around 8.30 but if he only heard at lunchtime. The official statement came out around 12.30, so is Harry saying he was told just before the statement went out.

Scobie also says that Eugenie phoned Harry for news, why would she not phone her father , he was either on his way or already there.

We also know that the plane missed its slot and sat an extra hour before taking off, it has never been explained why that happened.

The real story is somewhere in between.

Interesting detail about the plane carrying Andrew, Edward, Sophie and William missed its slot and sat on the ground for an extra hour. I'd not known this detail.


I've just read an article that claims that the aides didn't want William and Harry on the same plane in case it crashed and both were killed.


https://www.news.com.au/entertainme...n/news-story/5b1aa8b572166db9c5f9337d2f5b47bb

Senior royals faced a mysterious hour-long delay as they raced to be with the dying Queen.

Their RAF jet is at the centre of a riddle as it took off for Balmoral at 2.39pm on Thursday local time — but had been scheduled to leave at 1.30pm, The Sun reports.
It was not clear what caused the last-minute hold-up but Prince William and Andrew, as well as Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, were on board.
Prince Harry was not on the RAF Dassault Falcon — with experts suggesting it was down to fears of a constitutional crisis should it have crashed.
The Duke of Sussex had to make his own way to Scotland, arriving two hours after his grandmother died. He was said to be furious that he did not make it in time.
But royal watchers say aides did not want Harry and William to travel together in case they were both killed in a crash

 

[HRHHermione]

I weighed whether I was going to review and recap this book and I have decided to do so because despite what I see as an obvious bias, this is an author who has worked directly with family members and therefore I see it as historically relevant despite its… questionable thesis and background.

I’ll try to get a review up within the week of release.

 

[Hallo girl]

Interesting detail about the plane carrying Andrew, Edward, Sophie and William missed its slot and sat on the ground for an extra hour. I'd not known this detail.


I've just read an article that claims that the aides didn't want William and Harry on the same plane in case it crashed and both were killed.


https://www.news.com.au/entertainme...n/news-story/5b1aa8b572166db9c5f9337d2f5b47bb

I watched the television all that day and the tv cameras were there, at a distance, it was clearly stated the time it was due to leave at but it missed the slot, the speculation was that they were waiting for another passenger. It was more than an hour late in leaving. Channel 5 did a documentary on the anniversary of the Queens death. THE DAY the QUEEN DIED. It is interesting. Worth a look.
Two of them on the same plane, an interesting point.A valid one.

 

[Biri]

In case of the crash in which both William and Harry would be killed, George would have become the direct heir and the Prince of Wales (and Charlotte "the Sparess").

 

[Queen Claude]

The comment about Harry and William not traveling together due to concerns over succession was speculation from royal watchers. I don't buy it based on the fact that William has traveled by plane with all three of his children, so you have the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th on the same plane but then restrict the second in line from traveling on the same plane as the 6th in line.

 

[Royalist.in.NC]

I see it a little differently. If there hadn't been the suggested drama about Meghan insisting on going to Balmoral, Harry could have happily joined the other family members on the place. That was no incremental cost to the government.

In my mind it’s not the cost - which it sounds like there was room for plenty on the plane - but more that H &M were so out of the loop because of choices they’d made that they didn’t know that it wasn’t appropriate for all the grandchildren and spouses to come. I thought Diana was wonderful, but from things she said, I think her desire to treat her boys equally didn’t do Harry any favors when it came to seeing how he fit in as a grandchild. Peter is the eldest - he wasn’t there either. And also Meghan didn’t educate herself (using more educated sources than Harry) about how things worked in her new family. Sounds like Harry hadn’t learned about Operation Unicorn.

All these rehashing of the past type books are so transparent as money grabs IMHO as well as just same old same old opportunities to try to hurt the RF. So tired of and extremely disappointed in Harry and Meghan. I wish they’d give it a rest and enjoy their children and lives in CA and truly start a new chapter not as pseudo royals in America but ONLY using their brand for the greater good.

 

[MARG]

You nailed it. I would dearly love to know what was going on because the succession had never ever been an issue so as far as I can recall. I am persuaded that anyone who has followed the BRF has either mentioned it on this or other threads and some have been very concerned. Obviously, the King has never demanded William toe the line. I am equally sure that the Wales family all travelled to their warm little holiday just last week.

So, I think that the Palace spin doctors should have stopped before they got started because you don't have to be a Mensa candidate to spot the canard. They have done the BRF "image" more harm than good because for good or ill, everyone was happy or disgusted (per their own side) by the "factoid" that William didn't answer the call and we all know he knew it was Harry.

Coming as I do from a family of five siblings, we have spent our lives falling in or out with each other but each of us knew we were loved and love each other. I might be in a snit with one of my sisters, but heaven help you if you say something untoward about her. She is my sister first and foremost which means I can say what I want, you cannot. I have never understood people whose love is 'conditional' and William has made it abundantly clear that he is one of those people.

As to those that say Harry would have known his father's unknown number, I don't believe so because all that shows on a cellphone is "Unkown Caller" or words to that effect depending on the provider, no actual number is. If his father or brother's numbers showed, they's be flooded by callers. Someone I know with an unknown number and texts before they are calling to ensure the recipient doesn't think it's a survey or bank scammer and ignores it.

 

[HRHHermione]

. I have never understood people whose love is 'conditional' and William has made it abundantly clear that he is one of those people.

I have to push back on that a little. William may still very much love his brother while also feeling deeply shocked by his actions and hurt by them. There no good path there once the media is brought into the relationship which the Sussex’s did first with Scobie’s first book and then with Harry’s own book. I doubt they are hated, they just aren’t trusted because they need to earn and have not shown a path to that that involved not selling royal secrets. Keeping distance is William protecting his family who he loves dearly

I suspect cordiality between the brothers will be achieved if Harry marriage fails. That’s hard to deal with in any family

 

[Ghost]

So, I think that the Palace spin doctors should have stopped before they got started because you don't have to be a Mensa candidate to spot the canard. They have done the BRF "image" more harm than good because for good or ill, everyone was happy or disgusted (per their own side) by the "factoid" that William didn't answer the call and we all know he knew it was Harry.

Coming as I do from a family of five siblings, we have spent our lives falling in or out with each other but each of us knew we were loved and love each other. I might be in a snit with one of my sisters, but heaven help you if you say something untoward about her. She is my sister first and foremost which means I can say what I want, you cannot. I have never understood people whose love is 'conditional' and William has made it abundantly clear that he is one of those people.

As to those that say Harry would have known his father's unknown number, I don't believe so because all that shows on a cellphone is "Unkown Caller" or words to that effect depending on the provider, no actual number is. If his father or brother's numbers showed, they's be flooded by callers. Someone I know with an unknown number and texts before they are calling to ensure the recipient doesn't think it's a survey or bank scammer and ignores it.

THAT is the thing. William did not, ever, publicly said anything untoward about Harry. It is Harry who washed his dirty clothes in interviews, series and his book.
Also, for what is worth. I work in the air traffic navigation services. A flight like that does not need a slot. It is either military or state extempted. The hour they spent on the tarmac was because of something else, the slot doesn’t apply.

 

[Asteria12]

To be fair, we don't ACTUALLY know that Harry attempted to text his brother and was snubbed. This is all coming from one source, so far. If it were true, there could be any number of valid reasons why he didn't immediately jump to answer his brother's texts. We just don't know because unlike Harry, his family still adhere to the never complain, never explain family rule.




I also don't think its fair to state that William is someone whose love is conditional. Its not abundantly clear to me, at least!

 

[Hallo girl]

THAT is the thing. William did not, ever, publicly said anything untoward about Harry. It is Harry who washed his dirty clothes in interviews, series and his book.
Also, for what is worth. I work in the air traffic navigation services. A flight like that does not need a slot. It is either military or state extempted. The hour they spent on the tarmac was because of something else, the slot doesn’t aply.

That is really interesting about the slot, the cameras were at a distance, never at any time did I see anybody actually going on board. It was only when it arrived at Aberdeen when you saw them disembark that we found out who was on it.

It was speculation on behalf of the reporters that the delay was due to them waiting for somebody else to board.

If somebody had arrived late I think we would have seen them board because the cameras were there by then.

 

[Hallo girl]

I hope when Scobie is doing the rounds of interviews for this book that someone questions him on the discrepancy of the timeline. For someone who claims to have impeccable sources , he has it wrong or Harry was inaccurate in SPARE.

 

[Queen Claude]

What I don't get is why did Harry reach out to William in the first place to try and coordinate transportation to Balmoral. Charles is the one who called him, why not discuss it with Charles, or more sensibly, ask Charles who he should be in contact with. I am recalling a couple of reveals from Harry's book Spare or other reports regarding the day The Queen died and the state of Harry and William's relationship.

One reveal was that Harry wanted to bring Meghan to Balmoral and Charles vetoed that move, that suggests that the conversation(s) between Harry and Charles was / were not a quickie conversation(s).

Another thing I am trying to reconcile is what Harry wrote in Spare about the state of his and William's relationship. According to Harry, he and William had a confrontation after Philip's funeral, where William told Harry that he loved him and wanted him to be happy, and used the crisis phrase, "on Mummy's life". According to Harry he did not believe or trust William, and William felt likewise. There is no indication that there was any improvement in their relationship from that date to the day of The Queen's death.

So again, why is Harry contacting William regarding transportation arrangements? It makes no sense given the state of their relationship, given that Harry has been in touch with Charles and thirdly that there had been a game plan in place for this occasion for years, if not decades, and that undoubtedly everyone (except Harry) was operating according to that plan.

I don't see anyone acting maliciously or vengefully against Harry, but I can see William ignoring Harry's text on the basis that he cannot get caught up in Harry's drama stirring, which makes me feel especially sympathetic towards Charles, because while he was dealing with the enormity of the death of his mother and monarch and his ascension, he was also having to deal with Harry.

To be sure, a death can present an opportunity for reconciliation, but texting an estranged relative regarding transportation arrangements during a loved ones final hours is not the time for such overtures IMO.

 

[Ghost]

I shared earlier the beginning of the chapter on the Queen’s death. The paragraph immediatly after is below. There was at least a second phone call with Charles. At least that’s what Harry says:

“Then came another call from Pa.
He said I was welcome at Balmoral, but he didn’t want…her. He started to lay out his reason, which was nonsensical, and disrespectful, and I wasn’t having it. Don’t ever speak about my wife that way.
He stammered, apologetic, saying he simply didn’t want a lot of people around. No other wives were coming, Kate wasn’t coming, he said, therefore Meg shouldn’t.
Then that’s all you needed to say.
By now it was midafternoon; no more commercial flights that day to Aberdeen. And I still had no response from Willy. My only option, therefore, was a charter out of Luton.
I was on board two hours later.”

 

[Granada]

MARG, I just want to respectfully disagree with you on your post regarding Succession and direct Heirs traveling together.

You posted...... "Obviously Charles has NEVER demanded that William toe the line. I am equally sure that the Wales Family all traveled to their warm little holiday just last week."

Are you really so sure ?

I did NOT know the Family went away. William was in Singapore, for Earthshot till Nov 8th or 9th. Where did they go "to their warm little holiday just last week" ??

It was reported, that QEll asked William to observe the protocol and not travel with George in helicopters, or planes. I have no doubt that William and Catherine are very aware of the both the protocol and ramifications to Crown and Country, should disaster hit. And follow the guidance, and not have all The Wales Family travel together that way.

As an aside, it really was a bit presumptuous of Harry to assume AFTER EVERYTHING, he could just invite himself on the Plane with his brother, and grieving uncles (and Sophie) too.
Actions have consequences. I, being William, wouldn't have picked up the phone either.

 

[Hallo girl]

I shared earlier the beginning of the chapter on the Queen’s death. The paragraph immediatly after is below. There was at least a second phone call with Charles. At least that’s what Harry says:

“Then came another call from Pa.
He said I was welcome at Balmoral, but he didn’t want…her. He started to lay out his reason, which was nonsensical, and disrespectful, and I wasn’t having it. Don’t ever speak about my wife that way.
He stammered, apologetic, saying he simply didn’t want a lot of people around. No other wives were coming, Kate wasn’t coming, he said, therefore Meg shouldn’t.
Then that’s all you needed to say.
By now it was midafternoon; no more commercial flights that day to Aberdeen. And I still had no response from Willy. My only option, therefore, was a charter out of Luton.
I was on board two hours later.”

I wonder if the second call came after the Sussexs announced they were both travelling to Balmoral. I am going to watch the documentary again, that is mentioned, I might understand the time line better.

 

[muriel]

I weighed whether I was going to review and recap this book and I have decided to do so because despite what I see as an obvious bias, this is an author who has worked directly with family members and therefore I see it as historically relevant despite its… questionable thesis and background.

I’ll try to get a review up within the week of release.

Look forward to your review.

Also, do not feel you have to justify to us why you will read the book!

 

[muriel]

I wonder if the second call came after the Sussexs announced they were both travelling to Balmoral.

That may well be the case.

 

[TLLK]

I wonder if the second call came after the Sussexs announced they were both travelling to Balmoral. I am going to watch the documentary again, that is mentioned, I might understand the time line better.

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.

 

[BriarRose]

It is utter garbage that Harry was completely dependent on his brother to arrange his transportation to Balmoral, which is the smoke screen the book is trying to establish. Just garbage. Which means the actual truth is not favorable to Harry one bit. This was a non-issue at this point, until Scobie decided to make it one.

William is not Harry's keeper, and not Harry's personal assistant. In the best of times, people can't respond to every text message in a timely manner. I have no doubt on the day the Queen was dying, William was *extremely* busy. There are countless Palace employees that Harry could have undoubtedly reached out to, if he truly was unable to figure out how to fly from London to Scotland. And there is no reason he couldn't fly commercial if he had bothered to book a flight in a timely manner. I have ZERO doubt that Harry would have been given all of first class to himself if he had called an airline directly. It's highly likely a commercial airline would have given him the entire plane.

Nor is the succession issue true either. Harry is no longer important to the succession and hasn't been since the birth of George. At most, he could serve as Regent, but so could many members of his family, and there is nothing that makes Harry a more important possible Regent than his Aunt, Uncles, and cousins. Plus I have no doubt that legislation will eventually be passed that makes Catherine regent in the event of William's death, and Catherine and William fly together all the time.

If you can buy a house, you can most certainly book an airline ticket.

 

[tommy100]

RE the flight to Abderdeen. It was said in a few places originally that William and Charles were going to Balmoral as it was clear the Queen was unwell and unable to perform her duties, bearing in mind there has just been a change of government and the Queen had cancelled a virtual privy council meeting which was going to see the PM and cabinet sworn in to their roles - apparently the initial reason William was going was to act as Counsellor of State with Charles to take over the Queen's duties. That is why he and no other grandchildren went - he had a constitutional role and reason. Even when it became clear HLM was nearing the end William going made sense due to his seniority in the succession. I mean there was no talk of other grandchildren rushing up to Balmoral, the rest of the family seemed to sense that at this point it was meant to just be HM, her children, in laws and the next Prince of Wales and one day King.

(It is also worth noting tbf there aren't all that many flights to Aberdeen, British Airways and Easyjet are basically the only two airlines who fly that route from what I've seen. I do think it would have been hard to get a flight at such short notice - especially without being able to use BP to call around in which case I'm sure a seat would have been found. But I don't feel sorry for Harry - for once he has to face the consequence of his actions and as so much of his money came from selling out his family using some of that for a charter flight is karma to me)

What I notice with Omid (and indeed Harry and Meghan) is that they leave out just enough detail so what they say sounds awful towards them but the detail and reality is telling - Harry snapping at Charles over the Meghan conversation fails to make clear Charles was having to deal with all this unnecessary drama after Harry and Meghan had taken it upon themselves to publicly invite themselves to Balmoral (again while no other grandchildren who had actually been bothered to spend the summer with their grandmother did) while spending his last few hours with his mother.
Taking selective facts and quotes out of context and using them plays into a victim narrative but the truth is often very different.

 

[Maryrose]

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.

 

[Ghost]

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.

Because no other member of the family had the nerve to write books/give interviews/make netflix series about the family.