'Royal insider' Omid Scobie has blasted claims that he is Meghan Markle's friend in a new interview with the London Evening Standard and that she didn't brief him for his new book.
The journalist is believed to have close ties to the former Suits star and her husband Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex after previously writing a biography about the couple called Finding Freedom. Now, he's hoping for a return to the best-sellers list with his new book Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy's Fight for Survival, but he's adamant none of the bombshells came directly from the Sussexes.
"I'm very tired of the 'Meg's pal' stuff," explains Scobie, in conversation with The Standard. "I feel like it's a force that I can't even stop... no matter how many times I explain that I'm not her friend... there's always going to be a million people still calling me 'Meg's pal'."
By way of proving he's not in the couple's entourage, the London-based writer points out that he's giving the interview while on his book tour on the West coast, but has no intention of visiting the Sussexes. "I'm not out here and in California living in Montecito, all of that is just complete nonsense. The reality is that there's no friendship there."
When asked if the couple provided any of the detail for his new book, he said 'no' and added: "There's enough people around them and in their orbit who know the ins and outs of things."
He went on to insist he hasn't even had many private moments with Meghan, adding: "If there's ever been a private encounter with Meghan, I've spoken about it."
One of the revelations published in the book is an account of Harry's last minute scramble to get to Balmoral in a bid to say goodbye to Queen Elizabeth prior to her death in September 2022. Scobie accuses Prince William of "ignoring" text messages from his brother as he attempted to arrange travel plans.
After doctors declared they were "concerned" for the Queen's health, her immediate family rushed to Scotland with William taking a flight from London to Aberdeen with his uncles Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh and his aunt Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
However, Harry made his own way there in a private jet and Scobie suggests William deliberately left his brother out of the travel plans. A source said: "William ignored him. He clearly didn't want to see his brother." Harry chartered a private jet to get himself to Scotland but didn't make it in time, instead finding out that the Queen had passed away when Buckingham Palace announced the news while he was in the air.