Royal book at centre of racism row barely stirs a ripple on London streets

Tom Manson, a shopper, outside Waterstones bookshop, London. ‘We will never know what people did or didn’t do – and can we be bothered?’ Photograph: Andy Hall/The Observer

In the last two centuries London’s oldest bookshop, Hatchards on Piccadilly, has sold stories of royal scandals, ructions and rifts.

The latest book in the royal genre, Endgame by journalist Omid Scobie, was at the centre of a media frenzy for most of last week, but was barely causing a ripple among shoppers this weekend. It was not on prominent display at the five-storey bookstore, which has royal warrants. The single copy had been put aside on order. At the nearby Waterstones, about 14 copies were stacked on a table near the entrance, but there was limited interest there too.