Today’s news summary – Paper Talk: Royal book pulled from shelves & marbles row
Several of Wednesday’s newspapers continue their coverage of a new royal book after its Dutch translation reportedly named the ‘royal racist’ – though the author says there has never been a copy of the book naming the individual.
Royal book pulled from shelves
The Sun leads on the new royal book by Omid Scobie. The paper’s headline reads: “Scobie’s pulped fiction” and reports on a “book bungle” saying a highly defamatory statement” in Endgame by Omid Scobie mistakenly names the member of the Royal Family who allegedly made an offensive comment about the skin colour of Harry’s son Archie. However, the paper says the claim in question ended up in the Dutch version of the book due to a mistranslation.
The Daily Mail condemns the book as a “parody of the truth” which is oozing with bile and “toxic nastiness.”
The Daily Express leads on royal sources, who say the book’s claim of a right between Charles and Prince William is just “mischief-making”.
“Should they stay or should they go?”
The i newspaper says immigration minister Robert Jenrick went “rogue” in the House of Commons on Tuesday, with what it describes as a “dig at No 10 on migration.” The paper says Jenrick is frustrated his demands have not been listened to, wanting to bring forward tougher migration plans last year.
Several papers look at whether Britain should return the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece.
The Daily Mirror asks “Should they stay or should they go?” whilst the Times looks at the “diplomatic standoff” between the UK and Greece. The paper says ministers in Athens believe Sunak called off the Monday meeting with the Greek PM due to domestic political reasons. But government sources suggest Sunak was angry by comments made by the Greek PM over the Elgin Marbles.
The Guardian says the row raises new questions about Britain’s “fraught relations” with the EU. One senior Brussels official tells the paper that “if you want to be a global Britain, you don’t just stop talking with friends because of an issue that has been around for 200 years”.
The Times debates whether the marbles should be returned. One columnist writes in the paper that they have been “wrenched out of their context” and “would acquire their proper power” if they were put on display in Athens.
The Mirror says Britain has “a special claim to the statues” and that Lord Elgin had “done the world a favour” and “saved them from possible destruction” by buying them.