The co-author of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s biography, “Finding Freedom,” Omid Scobie, is facing criticism and backlash after his appearance in the BBC documentary, “The Princes and the Press.”
Taking to Twitter, Scobie decided to block individuals without providing an explanation, stating, “normalise blocking just for the vibes.”
This action followed royal family fans trolling him over his involvement in the documentary, leading to several British royal experts taking to social media to express their disapproval.
One senior journalist affiliated with the Daily Mail labeled Scobie a cheerleader for Meghan Markle, while a royal fan accused him of attempting to exonerate the Duchess of Sussex in the documentary.
Despite the backlash, Omid remained silent on the criticism, only clarifying that his interview for the BBC documentary occurred on November 19, 2020.
Recently, he was also criticized for disparaging Prince William‘s Tusk award speech, referring to the Prince as simplistic in a tweet to his 72.5k followers.
In another controversial tweet, Omid Scobie highlighted criticisms directed at Prince William, where the Duke was accused of being an imperialist colonizer for attributing wildlife loss to African population growth.
Critics and leaders deemed William’s statement simplistic, racist, and out of touch, echoing sentiments from remarks made by the Duke at the Tusk Trust’s awards ceremony in 2017.
The scrutiny surrounding Prince William’s speech was further fueled by Franklin Leonard, a prominent film and TV producer and founder of the Blacklist, as mentioned by Scobie.
The British royal family condemned the BBC for a documentary alleging a behind-the-scenes briefing conflict preceding Prince Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back from their royal duties.
In a rare joint statement, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, and Clarence House dismissed the documentary’s claims as exaggerated and baseless, emphasizing the importance of a responsible and open press in a healthy democracy.
Responding to the royal family’s criticism, the BBC defended the program, “The Princes and the Press,” stating its focus on royal journalism practices and featuring various journalists from broadcast and print media.
The rift between the broadcaster and the royals intensified, resulting in Prince William banning the BBC from airing the royal’s upcoming mast concert.
Reports suggest that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have offered the Christmas concert to ITV following the dispute with the BBC.
While the second episode of the documentary is scheduled for broadcast on November 29, tensions between the BBC and the royal family have led to uncertainties regarding the airing of the concert.
The event, set to be hosted by the Duchess of Cambridge at Westminster Abbey, was initially intended for the BBC but may now find its way to ITV.
As the public dispute unfolds, the future broadcast plans for the royal concert remain uncertain.
