The controversy surrounding the book “Endgame” and accusations of racism involving two British royals takes an unexpected turn.
Dutch translators of the book, which aims to destroy the British royal family, claim that publisher Penguin Random House unfairly blames them for leaking the names of the royals.
The book’s author, Omid Scobie, denies including the royals’ names in the English version, but the Dutch editions do mention them.
Omid Scobie: British royals are racist?
A racism controversy has erupted around the Dutch translation of the book Endgame, leading to the book being pulled from shelves.
In the Netherlands edition, the names of two royals alleged to have questioned baby Archie’s skin tone were published – despite author Omid Scobie insisting those identities were never in his original manuscript.
Now, the Dutch translators are fighting back against accusations that they fabricated the inflammatory details.
Translator Saskia Peeters told the MailOnline the incriminating names appeared “in black and white” in the text she was given.
Meanwhile, fellow translator Nellie Keukelaar called suggestions that she invented royal identities “unfair.”
Though bound by confidentiality agreements, Nellie cryptically hinted Endgame author Omid Scobie may be “in the wrong” regarding his Dutch edition denial.
For his part, Scobie maintains he never submitted any manuscript identifying the royals involved in the racism allegation.
But with 5,000 copies of the Dutch edition already sold containing the leaked content, Scobie’s credibility is under fire.
Critics like broadcaster Piers Morgan have branded the Endgame writer’s statements “bull***t,” accusing him of being a “lickspittle liar” covering up an embarrassing gaffe.
Unless the publishers clarify what exactly happened during translation, this war of words between Scobie and his Dutch translators looks set to rage on.
But the damage to the royals at the center of these racism claims may already be done.