"End Game" by Omid Scobie - 2023

[muriel]

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.

I can see why William would not respond to Harry. There was very little information in the public domain wrt to the health of QE2 at the time. Communicating directly with Harry would mean having to tell Harry the true state of QE2's health, and risk it being leaked by H&M to the US media, before BP were willing to release the information. To me, that is a strong enough reason to not respond to Harry.

As regards logistics, Harry could always reach out to William's office to liaise re logistics, or speak to Andrew, Edward or Sophie. He did not need William to communicate directly with him, IMO.

 

[Kaye1850]

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.

Right, it’s called ‘lying by omission.’

 

[Granada]

Iluvbertie, what I posted, was that HAD there been an inkling that QEll had taken a grave turn for the worse, or death was imminent, Charles NEVER would have hosted a Dinner on Sept 7th. He would have been at Balmoral.

It came SO suddenly. Yes, we could see QEll was in increasingly frail health. Time was slipping away. Weeks ? A month ? Or a few ? But death came obviously VERY very fast. Which I guess was a mercy.

 

[Royalist.in.NC]

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.

Absolutely! He had plenty of time to see her and chose not to make the effort. It would be natural to feel some regret and guilt about not making any effort when she was well enough to talk with him not wait until her deathbed. But Harry the Victim blames everyone else.

And we have no idea - nor should we- about what her deathbed was like. She may have been unconscious- we don’t know; we do know she’d been in pain.

Some families have an idea of gathering around a loved ones bedside, the family all there when someone passes. Death is very powerful and, like birth, is not something anyone can control. My parents both died last year within two months of each other. I had envisioned something like this gathering but death had other ideas. And I cannot fathom what I would have done if one of my daughters had behaved like Harry during their grandparents’ last hours - absolutely unbelievable

 

[Saragli]

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.

Whilst I am not the biggest William fan and think he carries a lot of the blame for the current situation, I give TM's a lot more forgiveness and understanding. I have no doubt that the King loves Harry deeply, but, I also think Harry is difficult for him. Harry is so much like his mother, the good and bad, and it must be awful Deja Vu for Charles to have to be dealing with his all over again. I don't think Charles was ever able to figure out Diana and perhaps he is feeling just as lost with his son now. It would be nice if William and Harry could make peace but I'm personally more vested in the King and Harry making peace.

 

[Queen Claude]

I thought that Harry was supposed to be on the plane but it took off without him, with my assumption being the wrangling over Harry wanting Meghan to accompany caused a delay and eventually the plane took off without him, yet Harry told Anderson Cooper that he was not invited to be on the plane.

The Queen had 8 grandchildren, William was the only grandchild on the plane and I find it hard to believe that none of the other 6 grandchildren were not in close enough proximity to be on the plane, in fact it is very likely that the Wessex children were in the area, so yes, Harry was not "invited" to be on the plane that transported HLM's younger sons but neither were his six cousins.

The thing that gnaws at me is that in 2022 Harry was in the UK and the Netherlands in April for Invictus, in the UK in June for HLM's Platinum Jubilee and in Germany and the UK in September. It gnaws at me that he did not extend any of those trips or make another trip to spend time with the grandmother that he professed to love and hold in high regard, not because of her position, but for herself. HLM was 96 years and in failing health, her age alone should have been enough for Harry to make the effort to spend time with his grandmother and furthermore (IMO) provide his son an opportunity to know her and form memories outside of Zoom calls, That is the callousness that I cannot get past, but perhaps callousness is not the correct interpretation, rather it is that Harry is a big, fat phony and opportunist who had no use for his grandmother beyond how her position benefited him.

 

[tommy100]

Re the other grandchildren it is possible IMO that they weren't close enough to get to the plane on time - especially if the plane was delayed (by the arguing over Meghan going or other reasons. A flight plan time can change, especially in circumstances like this, it doesn't mean it is late just that it didn't take off at the random time someone inputted).

Zara and Peter live at Gatcombe which is 1hr 40 or so away from Northolt, Lady Louise was settling in to St Andrews uni, James will presumably have been in school, Eugenie I'm not sure about, if she was working for Hauser & Wirth her office was about 50 mins away, Beatrice probably the same if she was in London, more if she was in the Cotswolds. Given how early Charles was flown from Dumfries to Balmoral - 10.30am, Liz Truss was told things were "very bad" sometime before 12noon (She was in Parliament by noon and had been told in Downing Street), I think if the plan had been as many family members as possible to travel up more would have been there. In theory all had time to get to Northolt before the flight departed - Zara and Peter would have required the most notice and would have had to decide to get in the car and drive to Windsor or Northolt not long after Charles left Dumfries by helicopter.

Personally my thought it there was never a plan to have the grandchildren there, William being an exception due to his role. When the plane was sorted the Queen was still alive so William heading up gave them options re councellors of state etc.

Personally I'm intrigued as to why Harry didn't stay at Balmoral to see his cousins, I'd have thought that is what most people would have done but that is just me maybe.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Iluvbertie, what I posted, was that HAD there been an inkling that QEll had taken a grave turn for the worse, or death was imminent, Charles NEVER would have hosted a Dinner on Sept 7th. He would have been at Balmoral.

You did not say that at all. It might have been what you meant to say but it isn't what you said.

You said and I quote 'Charles would have left Birkhall the day before her death, not on that morning of it, Sep 8th.'

I pointed out that he did leave Birkhall on the day before her death to go to Dumfries.

He left Dumfries on the morning of the 8th and went straight Balmoral. However he still had time to return to Birkhall and then return to Balmoral before she died.

Birkhall and Balmoral are quite close to each other so being at one isn't all that different to being at the other. They are 12 km apart.

 

[Granada]

Iluvbertie. Yes I did clarify. In my first post #25. Then in my follow-up post #71.

What difference does it make ? I don't get your questioning me, I'm sorry.

The Family WAS certainly caught off guard by how quickly QEll deteriorated, was my only point. There was zero sense of urgency regarding her health.

Birkhall, Dumfries, whatever.
Charles would NOT have been hosting a Dinner at Dumfries House on September 7, had he realized his Mother was literally at deaths door and had mere hours to live.
He would have been at Balmoral, not "entertaining" Guests. As I'm sure his Siblings would have been also, on September 7, had they realized the end was imminent the next day.

 

[MissByrd]

I don’t understand why Harry seemed to think he should be going to the Queen’s deathbed. None of the other cousins were going. And, why would William be responsible for taking care of Harry?
(When my parents passed away, each of us made our own travel arrangements from across the US. We wouldn’t have thought to do otherwise.)
From my experience, it would seem that the Queen’s children would be with her in her last moments, but not the next generation. And, I certainly wouldn’t think a granddaughter-in-law would be there. I can see that William would be there because of his place in the LOS.
And, I don’t see why it’s still a matter of discussion.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

The Queen's death was more than the passing of the family matriarch, it marked Charles's accession. All four of the siblings lost their mother but the impact on Charles was much more profound.

I don't think Charles invited Harry because Harry was more "special" than the other grandchildren but because Charles needed the support of his middle-aged son for this monumental change in his life. Sadly, Harry's own account proves that Charles did not get any support from Harry - and Harry seems almost proud of that.

When I think of Harry's failure to support his father when Charles needed him, as well as Harry's refusal to visit his grandmother in the last few months of her life (regardless of how fast she faded, she was 96), just cements my opinion that Harry is fast losing whatever redeeming qualities he once had.

 

[FigTree]

I thought that Harry was supposed to be on the plane but it took off without him, with my assumption being the wrangling over Harry wanting Meghan to accompany caused a delay and eventually the plane took off without him, yet Harry told Anderson Cooper that he was not invited to be on the plane.

The Queen had 8 grandchildren, William was the only grandchild on the plane and I find it hard to believe that none of the other 6 grandchildren were not in close enough proximity to be on the plane, in fact it is very likely that the Wessex children were in the area, so yes, Harry was not "invited" to be on the plane that transported HLM's younger sons but neither were his six cousins.

The thing that gnaws at me is that in 2022 Harry was in the UK and the Netherlands in April for Invictus, in the UK in June for HLM's Platinum Jubilee and in Germany and the UK in September. It gnaws at me that he did not extend any of those trips or make another trip to spend time with the grandmother that he professed to love and hold in high regard, not because of her position, but for herself. HLM was 96 years and in failing health, her age alone should have been enough for Harry to make the effort to spend time with his grandmother and furthermore (IMO) provide his son an opportunity to know her and form memories outside of Zoom calls, That is the callousness that I cannot get past, but perhaps callousness is not the correct interpretation, rather it is that Harry is a big, fat phony and opportunist who had no use for his grandmother beyond how her position benefited him.

He certainly talked the talk about their special bond. Shame he couldn’t actually make the time to show that special bond. Now all this talk, presumably a leak, that they would love an invite to Balmoral or Sandringham. There is no publicity associated with Balmoral, no photo shoots, unless they are thinking of one with Charles and his grandchildren like the ones of the Queen and her greats in last few years. Obviously being at Sandringham is huge publicity. They never went to Scotland, I can see it being the type of place Meghan would loath. In honesty Harry didn’t go as a single grown up much either but that could be because it seems to have been a family thing to go. And he certainly isn’t really as outdoorsy as some members of his family.

Connection the royals is money for them. And to me it does seem opportunistic. Will they go to Kates Christmas service? Rest of the family will be guaranteed to be there? I presume the family lunch at Bucks house…only a few days before Christmas so could make it work?

I just find the whole Harry thing incredibly sad.

 

[Ghost]

He certainly talked the talk about their special bond. Shame he couldn’t actually make the time to show that special bond. Now all this talk, presumably a leak, that they would love an invite to Balmoral or Sandringham. There is no publicity associated with Balmoral, no photo shoots, unless they are thinking of one with Charles and his grandchildren like the ones of the Queen and her greats in last few years. Obviously being at Sandringham is huge publicity. They never went to Scotland, I can see it being the type of place Meghan would loath. In honesty Harry didn’t go as a single grown up much either but that could be because it seems to have been a family thing to go. And he certainly isn’t really as outdoorsy as some members of his family.

Connection the royals is money for them. And to me it does seem opportunistic. Will they go to Kates Christmas service? Rest of the family will be guaranteed to be there? I presume the family lunch at Bucks house…only a few days before Christmas so could make it work?

I just find the whole Harry thing incredibly sad.

That’s how I see it also. Just a lucrative opportunity.

 

[Hallo girl]

That’s how I see it also. Just a lucrative opportunity.

I am a bit cynical about this 'leak', if it has came from Harry and Meghan is it to put Charles on the back foot, hey folks we said we would come but they didn't invite us, victims again.

Or do they want an invite then a big splash of saying no.

All these leaks in the last few days, this is all PR.

Scobies book has just said that William ignored Harry's messages re the Queen, if it is true it could only have came from the source. But we will sit down and have Xmas dinner with you, lets see what happens here and who is at Xmas in Sandringham.

 

[Maryrose]

Honestly I take all these sources from all these royal books and articles with a grain of salt.

 

[Kaye1850]

He certainly talked the talk about their special bond. Shame he couldn’t actually make the time to show that special bond. Now all this talk, presumably a leak, that they would love an invite to Balmoral or Sandringham. There is no publicity associated with Balmoral, no photo shoots, unless they are thinking of one with Charles and his grandchildren like the ones of the Queen and her greats in last few years. Obviously being at Sandringham is huge publicity. They never went to Scotland, I can see it being the type of place Meghan would loath. In honesty Harry didn’t go as a single grown up much either but that could be because it seems to have been a family thing to go. And he certainly isn’t really as outdoorsy as some members of his family.

Connection the royals is money for them. And to me it does seem opportunistic. Will they go to Kates Christmas service? Rest of the family will be guaranteed to be there? I presume the family lunch at Bucks house…only a few days before Christmas so could make it work?

I just find the whole Harry thing incredibly sad.

I think the ‘next big thing’ may be a photo reveal of the children. MM seems to be a strategic thinker and she will surely have a plan for this. If that plan includes royalty, so much the better. A visit to Sandringham - or maybe Althorp?

 

[Ghost]

You had me laughing at “strategic thinker”! Thank you! (I mean, if her plan was to waste the biggest chance one can have, of course)

 

[Kaye1850]

You had me laughing at “strategic thinker”! Thank you! (I mean, if her plan was to waste the biggest chance one can have, of course)

Well, you know, hindsight ……

 

[Maryrose]

I think it will be more of a new business venture that is in the works. The next time we see their children will probably be their Christmas/ holiday card. I don’t believe they will put children out there for a photo op. As for Meghan I think she is happy not being a part of the working BRF.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

Honestly I take all these sources from all these royal books and articles with a grain of salt.

I agree that there are a lot of unreliable sources but we know that Meghan has provided inside information to Omid Scobie in the past. The passage about how upset Harry was when William did not respond when Harry wanted help getting to Balmoral could have only come from Meghan.

 

[Maryrose]

I agree that there are a lot of unreliable sources but we know that Meghan has provided inside information to Omid Scobie in the past. The passage about how upset Harry was when William did not respond when Harry wanted help getting to Balmoral could have only come from Meghan.

Not sure how much cooperation the Sussexes gave to this new book by Scobie since I think there was some backlash to his last book. There definitely seems to be a lot of insider/ palace source info from the excerpts I read so who really know what to believe.

 

[Katiedidit]

Meghan or Harry.

 

[Maryrose]

Meghan or Harry.

Could be any family member.

 

[Granada]

Maryrose, "could be any family member" ? Are you supposing that someone OTHER than Harry or Meghan gave Scobie information ?

Sorry, I find that ludicrous, no offense.
A sure ticket to be ostracized from The Family or invited to ANY Events. I don't believe anyone would be so risky, foolish or disloyal to engage wth him.
Some, like The Yorks, especially Eugenie maintain, it appears, close ties with The Sussex's, but for anyone to feed Scobie information, I don't buy.

Not for a moment.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

Could be any family member.

The section I was referring to was the description of how difficult it was to watch Harry being upset when William didn't respond to his message about going to Balmoral. That could have only come from Harry or Meghan, and I am fairly sure it was Meghan. No other family member was there at the time. The description wouldn't have come from William, Catherine, Charles or Camilla.

It could have arguably come from Eugenie but she was not physically with Harry and Meghan so the information only could have come from Harry and Meghan. I don't think there is any evidence that Eugenie has been a source for Omid. Since the leak was so specific, I find it hard to believe that she would reveal something that specific unless Harry and/or Meghan sanctioned it because Harry and Meghan would have figured out the source.

It wasn't from staff. Any staff present would have been able to help arrange Harry's transportation.

 

[Maryrose]

Maryrose, "could be any family member" ? Are you supposing that someone OTHER than Harry or Meghan gave Scoble information ?

Sorry, I find that ludicrous, no offense.
A sure ticket to be ostracized from The Family or invited to ANY Events. I don't believe anyone would be so risky, foolish or disloyal to engage wth him.
Some, like The Yorks, especially Eugenie maintain, it appears, close ties with The Sussex's, but for anyone to feed Scobie information, I don't buy.

Not for a moment.

I am talking in general for the book not just the death of the Queen. Scobie still has sources in the palaces not just the Sussexes although I am sure that many people will disagree.

 

[TLLK]

I agree that there are a lot of unreliable sources but we know that Meghan has provided inside information to Omid Scobie in the past. The passage about how upset Harry was when William did not respond when Harry wanted help getting to Balmoral could have only come from Meghan.

I agree that she most likely passed on the information as she was present with him at the time. Now Meghan may have asked someone else to act as an intermediary, but I have no doubt that they are involved in this book as well.

 

[Erin9]

I agree that she most likely passed on the information as she was present with him at the time. Now Meghan may have asked someone else to act as an intermediary, but I have no doubt that they are involved in this book as well.

Agreed. I have no doubt they were involved in this book- just like the last one…..that they lied….I mean “forgot” about their involvement in.

On another note- I find the description of this book- and the title- waaaay over the top. Laughably so. Doesn’t fit reality imo.

 

[Hallo girl]

Could be any family member.

The problem that Harry and Meghan now have is that she has admitted that she forgot to tell the court she had arranged for a member of her staff to cooperate with Scobie with a previous book.

In the same case Scobie denied Harry and Meghan were the sources.

 

[muriel]

The problem that Harry and Meghan now have is that she has admitted that she forgot to tell the court she had arranged for a member of her staff to cooperate with Scobie with a previous book.

In the same case Scobie denied Harry and Meghan were the sources.

In these matters, IMO, Harry, Meghan and Scobie have all destroyed their own respective credibility.