Prince William is trying to take the high road after the release of Omid Scobie‘s latest book, Endgame.
Endgame hit shelves on Tuesday, November 28, and explores the state of the British monarchy following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s 2020 exit, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III‘s ascension to the throne. While William, 41, “isn’t surprised” the excerpts have made headlines, he’s choosing not to join the conversation.
“He knows the more he says, the more attention it feeds the whole frenzy,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly.
William doesn’t intend to address Scobie’s revelations directly. “He considers [the book] to be a spiteful portrayal of the monarchy,” the insider adds, noting that William doesn’t want “to help publicize a litany of false and cruel narratives” about his family.
According to the source, William is “exasperated and sick of dealing with” the drama.
Scobie previously coauthored the 2020 book Finding Freedom with Carolyn Durand, which revolved around Harry and Meghan’s relationship and their eventual decision to step down from their senior royal duties. Endgame claims William “no longer even recognizes” his younger brother in the aftermath of his royal exit.
The book alleges that William “believes Harry and Meghan blindsided the family” with their departure and is “convinced” that Harry has been “brainwashed” by an “army of therapists.” William has allegedly whined to “friends and aides” about Harry and Meghan’s “‘oh so California’ self-importance” since the couple’s move to the West Coast.
Since Harry “went public with his grievances against the family and the institution” during his and Meghan’s 2021 CBS sit-down and in his bombshell memoir, Spare, the “fractures” between him and William have “split wide open,” Scobie writes.
Along with exploring the brothers’ broken bond, Endgame dives into William’s marriage to Princess Kate Middleton, which remains “solid” as the couple continue to “work as a team.” Things between Kate and Meghan, however, are allegedly more frosty than ever.
The women have had “almost zero communication” since 2019 but have shared “short pleasantries” through the years. Scobie claims that Kate has even “jokingly shivered” at the mention of Meghan’s name.
Harry and Meghan previously reunited with Kate, William and Charles in September 2022 for the queen’s funeral, but their interactions were kept brief. While distance is growing between Harry and his relatives, royal expert Christopher Andersen claimed earlier this year that the drama has brought William and Charles closer together.
“They’ve had to put up this united front against Harry and Meghan,” Andersen exclusively told Us in July. “They’ve been insulted by members of their own family. It’s been quite the ordeal for them, and I think that they kind of circled the wagons, so to speak. And they’ve come out of that with a stronger bond.”
For more on Endgame’s royal impact, watch the video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly, on stands Wednesday.
