Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight For Survival

By Omid Scobie

What’s it about?

Endgame , the explosive book from longtime royal journalist Omid Scobie and author of the international blockbuster  Finding Freedom,  is a penetrating investigation into the current state of the British monarchy—an unpopular king, a power-hungry heir to the throne, a queen willing to go to dangerous lengths to preserve her image, and a prince forced to start a new life after being betrayed by his own family.

Queen Elizabeth II’s passing ruptured the already-fractured foundations of the House of Windsor—and dismantled the protective shield around it. With an institution long plagued by antiquated ideas around race, class and money, the monarchy and those who prop it up are now exposed and at odds with a rapidly modernizing world.

Relying on his vast experience as a royal reporter and over a decade of conversations and interviews with current and former Palace staff, trusted friends of the royals and even the family members themselves, Scobie pulls back the curtain on an institution in turmoil to show what the monarchy must change in order to survive.   This is the monarchy’s endgame. Do they have what it takes to save it?

What I think:

Ooh this is an interesting read.

It’s informative and entertaining as well as hugely insightful.

Omid Scobie is not everyone’s favourite, but his experience and knowledge cannot be denied.

He looks at a range of issues facing the Royal family and their relationship with the media in a fast paced world of change. Attempts to stay relevant and relatable have sometimes blown up in their faces.

What really struck me is the personal competitiveness and rivalries between different branches of the royal households that often undermine each other.

The relationship between the Royals and the press is all over the news this week and the hypocrisy between the calls for privacy for the Princess of Wales in contrast to the treatment of the Duchess of Sussex is absolutely stark.

It will be interesting to see what damage altered photos and evasive manoeuvres from Kensington Palace have on the future relationships at a critical point in the history of Royalty in the UK. And while I cannot see them disappearing anytime soon, it certainly makes an interesting read.