Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy's Fight for Survival

The royal rota refers to the pool system by which the media covers and reports on royal engagements. Representatives from the different media sectors take turns to cover events that are not open to the larger media due to space restrictions or security. These representatives then share all the information and material they collect with other members of their sector who request it. The royal rota is managed by the National Media Association (NMA), which allocates passes for local, regional, and national newspapers. The NMA’s website publishes rules and obligations for those belonging to the royal rota.

Scobie explains that only print publications are part of the royal rota; digital media houses and press publications from other countries, including the Commonwealth nations, are denied a spot. Scobie himself enjoyed an honorary position for a while, where he wasn’t a part of the rota but was given access to the information collected for it, as he reported for an audience not in competition with the British tabloids. The relationship between the royal rota and the Palace is what Harry terms the “invisible contract,” where the Palace offers the press access in exchange for positive coverage. This involves cultivating a positive relationship with the press to protect one’s public image, and Harry claims that it discourages fair competition and encourages cronyism (318). The Sussexes were particularly impacted by the negatives of the “invisible contract”—since Meghan did not have a positive relationship with the royal rota, she experienced extensive harassment in the tabloids. This is one of the factors that fueled the Sussexes’ exit from the Firm.