The Monarch has broken his silence for the first time following the unveiling of a contentious new royal tome on Tuesday.
Embarking on his two-day sojourn to Dubai on Thursday ahead of Cop28, the 75-year-old sovereign found himself in the midst of discussions surrounding Omid Scobie’s latest literary offering, which proffered several assertions about the royal family.
While engaging with Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Charles was queried: “How are you?”
Adorned in a tan-hued ensemble, the King retorted, “I’m all right very much… just about. Having had a rather ancient birthday recently, recovering from the shock of that.”
Charles marked his 75th birthday on 14 November, partaking in numerous public engagements and hosting a private birthday soirée at Clarence House.
The King’s rendezvous with Nigeria’s President constituted the inaugural of a series of bilateral conversations with global leaders.
Charles also encountered students and alumni hailing from the Commonwealth, delving into discussions on green technology, sustainable innovations, and the pivotal role of youth in propelling climate solutions.
Come Thursday evening, he will unite with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, for the formal inauguration of the Cop28 Business and Philanthropy Climate Forum.
Friday will witness a historic juncture for Charles as he delivers the inaugural address at Cop28 – his maiden one as King. Previously, he inaugurated Cop26 in Glasgow in 2021 and Cop21 in Paris in 2015 during his tenure as Prince of Wales.
Commencing at Expo City Dubai on Thursday and extending until December 12, Cop28 – or the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – will attract dignitaries, delegates, and climate organizations from across the globe.
Simultaneously, assertions within Mr. Scobie’s publication suggest a schism between Charles and his progeny, the heir, Prince William.
The author contends, “Distrust and simmering animosity between father and son are nothing new to their working relationship.”
In a swift development, the Dutch iteration of the book faced removal from shelves in The Netherlands on the day of its release after early reviewers noticed references to a royal figure questioning Prince Archie’s skin tone prior to his birth.
During their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex alleged an unidentified royal member, excluding Queen Elizabeth II or the Duke of Edinburgh, raised “concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.”
Contrary to Meghan’s assertion of a single person, Mr. Scobie’s book avers that two individuals, not one, made remarks about Archie’s complexion, widely interpreted as a racially insensitive comment.
The publisher of the book issued a statement on its website: “Xander Uitgevers is temporarily withdrawing the book Final Battle by Omid Scobie from sale. An error occurred in the Dutch translation and is currently being corrected.”
Speaking to Dutch television, the author commented, “The book is available in multiple languages, and regrettably, I can’t understand Dutch, so I haven’t reviewed the copy myself. If there are any translation errors, I am confident the publisher is rectifying them.
“For me, I edited and authored the English version; there has never been a version that I’ve produced that includes names.”
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