Omid Scobie’s Endgame includes many stories about the left-behind Windsors’ awkwardness in general, and their specific awkwardness at showing racial sensitivity, empathy or humanity. One minor point is Scobie quoting a “royal source,” who said that Prince Edward is “a massive germaphobe” and that’s why he rarely shakes people’s hands while he’s doing walkabouts or events. This was not something made up out of nowhere by Scobie – there have been conversations for a while about Edward’s refusal to shake hands, including right after his mother’s death, when he refused to shake mourners’ hands on a grief walkabout.
Well, the Windsors are still bizarrely showing that they’re obsessed with Scobie and Endgame, because Edward was out this week and he put on a big show of shaking peasants’ hands. The way the Telegraph’s Victoria Ward framed this specifically with Scobie’s words is so…
Buckingham Palace releases a video of Prince Edward shaking hands with members of the public after Omid Scobie claimed in Endgame that he "famously avoids most physical contact with the great unwashed". Scobie quoted a royal source who said: “He’s a massive germaphobe." https://t.co/ehvhsTx1Qm
— Victoria Ward (@victoria_ward) December 11, 2023
It’s the fact that he only shook a few hands and then mostly avoided touching the people of color…? This is also smoothly edited so we don’t see him obsessively using industrial-grade hand sanitizer after he shook a few hands. I mean, I’m not going to shame him for being a germaphobe, but if that’s the case, just own it and have your people say “no handshakes.”
Even if Omid Scobie’s book isn’t selling like hotcakes, it’s clear that Buckingham Palace picked up twenty copies and they’re going to keep doing these kinds of stunts to “push back” on Endgame. Such weird people.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
-
- The new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh in the City Chambers in Edinburgh during an event to mark one year since the city’s formal response to the invasion of Ukraine. Picture date: Friday March 10, 2023. King Charles III has handed his late father’s title the Duke of Edinburgh to his brother Prince Edward, honouring the late Queen and Philip’s wishes. Charles conferred the title on the former Earl of Wessex in celebration of his 59th birthday.,Image: 761890951, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Jane Barlow / Avalon
-
- The new Duke of Edinburgh speaking in the City Chambers in Edinburgh during an event to mark one year since the city’s formal response to the invasion of Ukraine. Picture date: Friday March 10, 2023. King Charles III has handed his late father’s title the Duke of Edinburgh to his brother Prince Edward, honouring the late Queen and Philip’s wishes. Charles conferred the title on the former Earl of Wessex in celebration of his 59th birthday.,Image: 761891256, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Jane Barlow / Avalon
-
- Camera Press Rota 04465581. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal attend the Royal Order Of The Garter Installation Service at Windsor Castle.,Image: 784267854, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: David Dyson / Avalon
-
- Westminster Abbey, London, UK. 5th July 2023. Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, attend a service at Westminster Abbey to mark the 75th anniversary of the NHS.,Image: 787314106, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Supplied by AVALON – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Photo by Amanda Rose / Avalon
-
- The Duke of Edinburgh speaks during the Commonwealth Youth Awards at St James’s Palace in London. Picture date: Thursday September 14, 2023. NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS,Image: 805236517, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
-
- The Duke of Edinburgh speaks during the Commonwealth Youth Awards at St James’s Palace in London. Picture date: Thursday September 14, 2023. NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS,Image: 805236562, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
-
- LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 11: Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh attends The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at Royal Albert Hall on November 11, 2023 in London, England.,Image: 821399419, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
-
- LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 12: Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh during the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on November 12, 2023 in London, England. Every year, members of the British Royal family join politicians, veterans and members of the public to remember those who have died in combat.,Image: 821534893, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: PA OUT, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
-
- Prince Edward And Sophie Countess of Wessex views messages of condolence at Manchester’s Central Library during a visit to the city, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Featuring: Prince Edward Where: Manchester, England, United Kingdom When: 15 Sep 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
Well Opposite Day came early. Yes get out there and try to prove everyone wrong. Racist= take pictures with people of color. Elitist= take pictures of shaking hands with the peasants. There now all fixed.
Opposite Day is exactly what it is. It reminds me of when Meghan said in the Netflix documentary that she felt compelled to dress in muted colours (beige, black, white, navy, etc) so as to not wear the same colours as the more senior royal women, and days later KKKate rallied herself, Zara, Pippa and even her own young daughter Charlotte all decked out in burgundy for her made up Christmas Carol service/piano recital to “prove” that she has no problem with people wearing the same colour as her, so naturally Meghan must be lying, which the papers immediately highlighted. Whenever they go out of their way to push back on petty things with public stunts, just know that they want to cast doubt wherever they can, so that the more serious allegations that are being made about them aren’t believed.
See, if I knew they were going to be like this, I don’t think I could resist the urge to mess with them. I’d be putting BS out there like, “Camilla says that drinking bleach is the Queen Consort’s prerogative”, just to see if Kate would be like ,”try and stop me!”
Same but I’m a petty, spiteful witch. ☠️
Eh, I’m kind of a germaphobe too so I can’t fault him if he is. He does look a little healthier than he was looking for a while there.
Yeah, he does look better here. You know what I realized the other day? Almost all the left-behind members of the royal family look better in video clips than still photography.
@SueBarbri33 – I agree! I saw a video of Beatrice a while back and was struck by how much prettier she is in motion.
You know that meme where a stick figure stands looking puzzled while the words: “The Point” flies over its head? Yeah……that meme came to mind on reading this post.
He does look thin. It makes me wonder how quickly he’s losing weight if the royal tailors can’t keep up with it.
It’s harder to hide the weightloss and frailty as a man — clothing options are limited, a wig would be obvious in his case, padded bras and make up not an option…..
He really doesn’t look well. Is he ill?
Rather the very unfortunate Windsor looks. They tend to age like sushi left in a hot car. Just look at Chuck and Will.
His refusal to shake hands makes me think he really has been ill and immune-compromised. Maybe he’s on the mend now?
He has always been like this though. It’s not even a bad thing. He can just say that is his preference and people would understand, especially after covid years. I don’t understand why they are insisting on the worst possible option to everything.
What bothered me most were the clips of him being around a large group of people, ALL wearing masks, just not him. What a dick.
Exactly. Being a germaphobe isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But if you are, wouldn’t it extend to wearing a mask? Especially since here in the US, the CDC is recommending it?
All the people there were probably instructed beforehand to wear masks. That way he doesn’t have to. The courtiers want us all to see his handsome face. (Sarcasm 😏)
Love the nudes in the paintings in the background! 🫣
Okay. I just watched the video. Nobody is wearing a mask in that. So I don’t know. 🤔
The nudes are still an interesting touch though! And that’s probably a different event.
That’s what jumped out to me, as well. What an entitled dick.
If Omid was wrong, wouldn’t it be more logical to show past engagements where he was shaking hands with public? You can’t do the opposite of what someone said to prove them wrong. I see the IQs in that family are really really low. After the doc, Kate started to hug all the family members with the same stupid logic. I don’t see any Kate hugs anymore. Started to believe, they have peas for brains.
“I see the IQs in that family are really really low” – Because that is what happens when cousins marry
I suspect that he may have been treated for some type of cancer and is thus immunocompromised. I can’t blame him for not wanting to shake hands.
Then HE should be wearing a mask and either, not shaking hands or sanitizing his hands between handshakes. Despite what the book says!
There’s nothing wrong with being a germaphobe in this day and age. COVID is still a thing! I would’ve owned it instead of going out of my way to prove an apparently “irrelevant” reporter wrong.
Really. Owning it would have generated more sympathy. I’m sure a lot of people feel the same and would understand.
Ah but if they acknowledge one thing as being true we might start getting ideas about everything else that Omid wrote.
I thought the Palace was going to ignore the book and maintain a dignified silence. As I said on the other post, the Royal Family are very reactionary. Look, I don’t care if he’s a germophobe, I care that he and his family are racist. Let’s not forget him being rude and aggressive to a black train worker who was showing his mother how to buy a train ticket when she opened the Elizabeth line last year and his tone-deafness and rudeness when he meet with the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda when he was talking to him about becoming a Republic in the future.
Why even push back on this? Just to prove Scobie lied? This circus is so exhausting.
It’s exhausting but the desperation is also kind of hilarious at the same time. “See? OMID LiES! Edward shakes hands!!!!!!!!!”
They really went over Endgame with a fine tooth comb and are going to try to counteract every point in it, lol.
Yes they are. And it’s both pathetic and alarming. There are threads in the old school royal watching boards that consist of nothing more than posters (probably RF or RR members?) going line-by-line through the book. The did the same thing with Spare–that’s where all the silly little things like this come from. Somebody on their staff is doing a close reading, realizes they cannot counter the “Kate is a racist” stuff, and are settling in on this nonsense. As if anybody cares what Edward does. Come on. (And I say this fully aware that I am posting here about Edward lol)
Them being reactionary to everything always just proves the point instead of the opposite. They can never show where the person in question did this thing before it’s always after something that said in an interview or an article, which shows that you’re reacting to what was said. If they did a reel instead of him shaking hands and hugging people from the late ’90s on that would be different, this just shows they got under your skin. Also absolutely nothing wrong with not wanting to shake hands plenty of people and cultures find such touchiness to be too much with strangers.
Yep, that’s what I’ve never understood. It’s all so obvious.
Well, I don’t like shaking hands either, so I’m not going to fault him for this. On the health front he’s looking slightly less like death warmed over, but still terribly thin and it is hard to believe this is a person still in his 50s. And I can never get over how awful the older royal family members’ teeth are…
I don’t shake hands because I have arthritis in my hands. Even when shaking an older woman’s hand some men don’t modulate their grip. I quit shaking hands after a man absolutely crushed my hand. It hurt so much that I immediately yelled “Have you lost your mind? That hurt!” He just looked bored and like I was crazy, so now I just hold my hands up, smile and say that my arthritis is acting up. After that Bozo crushed my hand it ached for a couple of weeks. Jackass! Also, in that first picture Edward resembles pictures I’ve seen of bats!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_Boy_(character)
I was thinking Elf on the Shelf, but, Bat Boy will do.
Again something they’re being extremely weird about. There’s nothing bad about being germaphobe but those PR people don’t know how to deal with anything.
Question from someone who hasn’t read Endgame yet : Is there much said about Edward in it or is he barely mentioned as it is often the case ?
He looks better in a single breasted jacket. The double breasted suits were doing him no favors.
Totally agree that the single breasted jacket is a better look since he’s lost so much weight.
These reactions put the lie to their claims of not reading the books or watching the series. Of course they’re consuming everything they can. how stupid they think we all are it’s insulting
Can we make not shaking hands more popular, please?
Germs, covid, flu on and on.
I glad to see Edward out, it’s been rumored he is ill.
Covid is still sending people to the hospital in my area.
As a life long hand shaker I completely agree. The covid pandemic taught us many things but one stands out for me: Grown adults had to be taught how to and when to wash their damn hands. And with the bizarre backlash against masks (even in cold and flu season) and the way so many people have just forgot how contagious common viruses/bacteria are I no longer trust anyone to wash their hands.
So it is rare for me to shake hands anymore.
Yes! I’ve never liked shaking hands; it’s pointless & on occasion, kinda gross!
And nowadays, I use a cane, so my right hand is always engaged, so sorry! No handshake!
If he’s a germophobe that’s a not a lifelong thing. I shook his hand in a receiving line in 1994: cold, moist, limp.
“ cold, moist, limp”
That should be on the Windsor family crest.
PE looks like he has been poorly and yet he still racked up 150 more engagements than WK. Harry talked about the tally being competitive and discussed amongst the family at Christmas. Obviously WK never felt that they had to top that particular tally. I bet Duke and Duchess of E do mind being overlooked and taken for granted whilst WK grab all the fawning press and do jack all!!
I’m a germaphobe, too, but I’m not an entitled prick (or at least I hope I’m not), so there’s that.
Yep, a prick who beats dogs with a stick. Can’t stand him
Question for you.
I dislike hand shaking and especially after C19, etc.
When meeting new people, including Drs for my child, is there a way of politely “no shake, please?”
I find myself deliberatly putting my hands behind my back before the Dr enters the room, big smile, nodding “Nice to meet you, sorry I no longer shake hands.”
Is there a more polite way?
And why are Drs of all people still shaking hands constantly?
You’d be surprised at how they do not use hand sanitizer upon coming into the room too.
My child is medically fragile, special needs….I am the Queen of Do Not Touch Her, Germaphobe, and constantly get called “Overprotective” Bite me with THAT! Hospitals and Drs offices are germ factories, IMO.
Wow, I never heard doctors shaking hands with patients, maybe a cultural difference? You are definitely right not shaking hands if you don’t want to and no one should touch your child in the similar way. But, socially, I admit it would be awkward to refuse a handshake, although after covid years, people are more understanding in my opinion.
If a stranger (a person who I won’t see a lot) asks for a handshake, I would just lie and say I feel a little sick, so don’t want to spread to him/her, so no need to give a more personal explanation. If the person is a regular contact, I would just be honest and say I am not comfortable especially after covid. If they are not understanding, it is their problem. No one has a right to touch another person.
Stop shaming people with Germaphobe and the like.
For myself, I dislike hand shaking and certainly do not attempt to hug or kiss me on the cheek.
I have never liked any of this social or business behavior.
In my previous employment, I was forced to be “the public facing team leader”
I did it, gave speeches, introduced others, kept things moving at public events, all of it.
I would go home drenched in sweat under my suit, tear off everything and scrub makeup, shampoo and shower as fast as I could. I started leaving my dress coat in the car bc I could not stand having it in the house with me.
A co-worker once caught we in the restroom physically shaking, pale, trying to calm myself before I had to go on stage, work the room, etc.
Edward gets no hate from me on this issue.
Is it just me, or does he look like an Elf on the Shelf, in that thumbnail picture?
It’s crazy how the Windsor (Queen Mary, specifically) genes kick in when they’re in their 30s or so.
Just HOW closely is this man related to William? They look VERY similar!😳🥴