by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are “undermining” the foundations of the monarchy through their role in racism allegations against the King and Princess of Wales, the former head of royal protection has claimed.
Dai Davies, a former divisional commander of the Metropolitan Police who worked closely with Queen Elizabeth and senior royals, said the “false narrative” being created about alleged comments made by the King and the Princess of Wales could be detrimental to the institution.
Prince Harry and Meghan have remained silent following the naming of their father and sister-in-law, as the royal reportedly made comments about the color of their unborn child’s skin.
Their identities first emerged in the Dutch translation of Omid Scobie’s book Endgame, which was later reported by news organizations around the world.
Davies, responsible for royal protection until his retirement, told The Telegraph: “Prince Harry and Meghan and those who claim to speak on their behalf are slowly damaging the status of the royal family.
“A false narrative is being spread about racism in the Palace. It is not at all strange to ask what a baby will be like.”
He added: “What the duke and duchess are doing is helping those who would want to replace the monarchy and get rid of it. They are undermining the foundations of the institution.
“Unless there is respect for the King and what he represents, everything around him falls apart.”
There is now increasing pressure on the Sussexes to publicly distance themselves from Scobie’s book in order to limit any potential damage to the monarchy.
Ingrid Seward, royal biographer and editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, said: “It is interesting that they have not come out to deny the allegations contained in the book and the allegations that they were involved in writing it.
“Most people would want to say, ‘It has nothing to do with us,’ to distance themselves from the book.
“I would recommend that they make a personal statement saying that they had nothing to do with this book and the unpleasant rumors and innuendos it contains.”
Dickie Arbiter, Queen Elizabeth’s former press spokesman, said: “It’s a bit rich that the Sussexes are silent now. They previously took pains to say that the alleged names were not going to be revealed.
“You’d have thought they’d say something now that they’ve done it, to distance themselves from this mess, although it’s probably too late for that now.”
Sources close to the Sussexes have previously maintained that the Duke and Duchess did not say the comments or those who made them were “racist.”
Earlier this year, Prince Harry said he considered the comments an example of “unconscious bias.”
But commentators suggest the duke and duchess may also be causing damage to their own brand as they are seen to be associated with ongoing attacks on the royal family.
Mrs Seward said: “The situation looks dire for the Sussexes. “Its popularity is falling every day.”
He added that the Palace was right not to respond to the claims in Mr Scobie’s book, saying: “The monarch says nothing and it has worked. I can’t imagine Carlos or the Palace commenting on this as he would just keep things agitated.”
The exact nature of the comments allegedly made by the royal about Prince Archie is still unknown. The claims were originally made by the dukes themselves in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.
Meghan told Winfrey that the duke had been aware of “concerns and conversations” about how dark his first child’s skin might be.
He did not name the family member, saying at the time: “I think that would be very damaging to them.”
In “Endgame,” Scobie writes that “several conversations” were had in the family, away from herself. [Meghan] and Harry, who raised ‘concerns’ about what color his unborn son Archie’s skin might be and ‘what that would mean or look like.’”
Scobie told James O’Brien’s podcast on Saturday that the use of the word “concerns” suggested the conversation was going beyond simple curiosity about what characteristics Archie would inherit.
The Dutch translation of the book names the King and, in a separate chapter, the Princess of Wales as those involved in the conversation.
The names did not appear in the English edition of the book when it was published on Tuesday, and Scobie included a paragraph saying he could not name them under UK law.
The King is understood to be treating the situation “very seriously” and is said to be likely to consult senior advisers next week about the royal family’s next step, with “all options” including legal action to be considered.
Sources close to the Duchess of Sussex, who allegedly wrote the names of the two family members in letters to King Charles, have insisted that she “never intended for them to be publicly identified” and deny that their contents have been leaked. to Mr. Scobie by anyone in his camp.
The Dutch translators who worked on the volume maintain that the manuscript they were given included both names.
Saskia Peeters told MailOnline last week: “I didn’t add them. “I just did what I was paid to do and that was translate the book from English to Dutch.”
High society snub towards the Sussexes
It comes as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were reportedly left off the guest list for next summer’s wedding of Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster.
While the King and Queen and Prince and Princess of Wales will be at the jet-setting event at Chester Cathedral in June, Prince Harry has been excluded from his friend’s wedding, according to The Sunday Times.
It is said to be to avoid a confrontation between Prince William and Harry, the newspaper reports, also stating that the Duke of Westminster is godfather to both brothers’ children.
