Engame

 I enjoyed Endgame by Omid Scobie in audiobook format. The author was also the reader, and he was a delightful man to listen to. This was a good follow up to Prince Harry’s book, Spare. If you have no interest in England’s royalty, then read no farther. I got through both books as the result of not finding an audiobook in Libby, and I really like to have an audiobook for my morning dog walks.

 

Scobie’s book included details about the struggles in the current royal family, and in addressing his theme that the faux monarchy could be coming to an end with either current King Charles or Prince William. There is a strong movement afoot in England to stop paying for the costly royal family’s expenses. Scobie also provided a longer history of the real monarchy, the transition to it becoming more of a ceremonial station, and its fairly rapid deterioration in the absence of Queen Elizabeth II.

 

Regarding the falling out between William and Harry, Scobie admitted that he was very much in the camp of Harry and Meghan, as to the camp of William and Kate. He gave lots of information about why that was the case. With this book, he has essentially permanently cut ties with Charles and Camilla who apparently feel that he has betrayed them. My take away is that the royal family has seriously mismanaged the attempted inclusion of Meghan into the family. Scobie gave examples of the Palace lying to the public as an attempt to make William and Kate more sympathetic characters. Clearly, Prince Andrews debacle with Jeffrey Epstein caused further damage with the public. At any rate, I found the book to be well-written and interesting.