Dutch journalist who was the first to spot the names of the two ‘royal racists’ in his country’s translated Endgame says he is ‘auctioning off his copy of the book for charity’
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The Dutch royal journalist who was the first to spot that two Royal Family members appeared to have been labelled as the ‘royal racists’ in his country’s translated edition of Omid Scobie’s Endgame has said he is ‘auctioning off his copy for charity’.
Rick Evers, 36, has said the proceeds of the book’s takings, which have since been pulled from shelves in The Netherlands, will go to a charity called Autersbond, the Dutch professional association for writers and translators.
Taking to X, previously called Twitter, Rick said: ‘I have decided to have my copy of ENDGAME auctioned for charity. It’s one of the few before it was banned, which played the leading role on UK, US, Australian and Canadian TV.
‘Proceeds will go to @autersbond, in honour of the translators who unwittingly ended up in a media storm.’
He later added: ‘Later this week the reprint of Endgame will be published by @XanderUitgevers, but without the names in question being mentioned, which were also missing in all other versions worldwide. A very special copy. Bidding starts on Wednesday.’
Rick Evers (pictured) has said the proceeds of the auction will go to a charity called Autersbond, the Dutch professional association for writers and translators
The pair identified in the book were named widely by media organisations around the world last week, including the Guardian and the Times, as King Charles and Kate.
Rick’s decision follows claims that Mr Scobie’s UK agent did send a draft manuscript of Endgame naming the two ‘royal racists’ to be translated into Dutch.
The revelation seems to undermine Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘cheerleader-in-chief’s’ claim that he ‘never submitted a book that had those names in it’.
A source told The Times that United Talent Agency had earlier sent a draft version of the book to publisher Xander Uitgevers, which contained the names.
However, a final proof of the 400-page tome was later sent, but it’s understood the translator had been working from an earlier draft.
It comes after Mr Scobie’s new book Endgame has already dropped out of Amazon’s top 100 current bestsellers list despite a blitz of publicity in the first week of its release.
The title currently sits 139th in the UK bestseller book charts based on Amazon sales, which are updated hourly to reflect recent and historical sales of every item.
Endgame has fallen more than 100 places in three days having been at 14th as recently as last Friday. On the day of its release last Tuesday it was ranked 77th.
The Dutch journalist took to X, formerly called Twitter, to reveal his plans to auction his copy of the book
The 36-year-old explained that the auction of his ‘special’ copy of Endgame will start on Wednesday
A copy of Omid Scobie’s book Endgame on display inside a book store in London last Friday
Omid Scobie was interviewed about his new book on ITV’s This Morning last Thursday
The book is now in the table behind children’s titles such as the Beano annual, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Stick Man; biographies from Britney Spears, Matthew Perry and Chris Kamara; and cookbooks from Mary Berry, Rick Stein and Tom Kerridge.
In the same Amazon list in the US, Endgame was at 235th today – below The Very Hungry Caterpillar; the Jeopardy! 2024 calendar; and a Paw Patrol sound book.
Amazon says its lists are a ‘good indicator of how well a product is selling overall’ but ‘doesn’t always indicate how well an item is selling in relation to similar items’.
READ MORE Omid Scobie under fire after claims his British publisher ‘DID send draft Endgame manuscript naming ‘two royal racists’ to Dutch translator’
The book’s falling performance comes despite a huge amount of media coverage as well as TV interviews conducted by Mr Scobie for the BBC and ITV in the UK and ABC in the US.
The author has also given interviews to publications including The Times, Evening Standard, Independent, Tatler, People, Elle.com and Paris March.
Meanwhile the book was not on prominent display at London’s oldest bookshop, Hatchards on Piccadilly – with only one copy put aside on order, reported The Guardian.
The newspaper added that about 14 copies were stacked on a table near the entrance of the nearby Waterstones, but there was ‘limited interest there too’.
Mr Scobie has been widely described as Meghan Markle’s mouthpiece – but neither she nor Prince Harry has so far spoken up in defence of the royals over highly damaging accusations of racism.
The Dutch translation of the book has been pulled after it named Charles and Kate as the royals alleged to have asked what colour Prince Archie’s skin might be before he was born.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend church at Sandringham in Norfolk yesterday
King Charles III is expected to consult Prince William this week to discuss their response to the storm after Buckingham Palace said it is ‘considering all options’ when it comes to a response.
READ MORE King Charles and beaming Queen Camilla attend church service
The Sussexes have not commented publicly on the race row but a source close to Meghan said ‘it was not leaked to Mr Scobie by anyone in her camp’.
It also emerged yesterday that the Dutch edition of Endgame quoted a source close to the Sussexes who branded William ‘heartless’ – another inflammatory passage that is not in the UK version.
Referring to claims that the Prince of Wales secured a flight to Balmoral without Harry when the Queen was dying, the translation cited the source as saying: ‘It was heartless to deny him the chance to go to Scotland to say goodbye to his grandmother. This was not the time to be petty.’
A ‘family source’ also claims that William ‘purposely ignored’ Harry when the Queen died and ‘didn’t want to help’ him, according to the Dutch edition.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with their children Archie and Lilibet in December 2021
The original ‘racism’ claim was made in the Sussexes’ infamous 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview
William, Harry, Meghan and Charles speak together at Westminster Abbey in March 2019
It said: ‘He was, and is, still angry because Harry revealed private issues… He thinks that is unforgivable.’
The Dutch version also refers to the King’s ‘cash for honours’ scandal last year, with a ‘source’ saying ‘people inside the institution are concerned that ‘more stories will follow’.’
None of these claims appeared in the English version, The Sun on Sunday reported.
It comes after Meghan admitted under oath that she authorised a senior aide to brief Scobie for his earlier book about the Sussexes, called Finding Freedom.
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