The author of ‘Endgame’ and ‘Finding Freedom’ is making his fiction debut, which was picked up for an onscreen adaptation
Royals author Omid Scobie has a new project in the works.
On July 18, Universal Television announced it acquired the rights to turn Scobie’s upcoming fiction book Royal Spin into a new TV show.
“With the British monarchy reeling from a wave of scandals, young American politico Lauren O’Connell is plucked from the White House to breathe new life into the Buckingham Palace communications team and help end the royal family’s streak of bad press. But in an institution steeped in tradition and strict protocol, change isn’t easy — or welcome. It turns out the Royal Household can be just as messy and confusing as Capitol Hill,” a logline reads.
“Faced with never-ending culture clashes, displeased royal aides with intimidating titles, and risky new love interests, this fish out of water is determined to prove she’s got what it takes — and might even find herself in the process,” it continues.
Royal Spin is co-written by Scobie and young adult novelist Robin Benway. Universal Television is a division of Universal Studio Group, and news of its acquisition of the rights to the show follows a multi-studio bidding war.
Scobie conceived the story and is developing and co-creating the series with Emily Fox, a writer and showrunner whose credits include The Watchful Eye, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce and more. Fox is set to write the script and serve as showrunner, further acting as an executive producer alongside Scobie and Benway.
“We’re so excited to be partnering with Universal Television on the adaptation of Royal Spin. No show or book has ever gone inside the frenzied world of the Buckingham Palace press office, and we can’t wait to throw Lauren — our young American protagonist fresh from the White House communications team — into the deep end of it,” Fox, Scobie and Benway said in a joint statement.
On what’s to come, Universal Television’s Executive Vice President of Drama Development Vivian Canon said, “Offering a fresh take that beautifully blends wit and romance, Royal Spin is a deeply entertaining exploration of the world’s enduring fascination with the royal family. We’re delighted to have landed the rights to this fascinating story and thrilled to be collaborating with Emily, Omid and Robin to bring it to life for TV audiences.”
The book Royal Spin is the inaugural collaboration between Scobie and Benway. It doubles as Scobie’s fiction debut and Benway’s adult fiction debut.
News of the book was first reported by Publisher’s Weekly in March. A release date has yet to be announced.
Benway is a National Book Award winner and the author of nine novels, including Far From the Tree, and her work has been published in over 25 countries. Scobie has covered the royal family for more than a decade and is the author of Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival, published in November 2023, and Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, published in August 2020.
Finding Freedom was released after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from their royal roles in the U.K. earlier that year.
Endgame chronicled the breakdown of the royal family and the weakening of the modern monarchy, and PEOPLE exclusively excerpted the text.
At the time, Scobie told PEOPLE, “I was talking to a source quite early on in the process, and they called Harry a ‘defector’ and said that was [Prince] William’s view. These were two men who once upon a time were firmly aligned in their outlook. One of them had to move on to also protect the crown.”
But will there be a crown left to protect decades from now? “There’s a real chance here to learn and adapt to modern society and also make up for mistakes of the past,” says Scobie. “It’s their move.”
