Prince Andrew braced for backlash as new picture from upcoming TV series drops

The show will document Prince Andrew's infamous Newsnight interview from November 2019, with Emily Maitlis being played by Ruth Wilson.

A Very Royal Scandal is set to focus on the real-life 2019 interview between Maitlis and Andrew over the accusations he faced regarding his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Guiffre.

The show “follows the action of Maitlis and Prince Andrew in the leadup to the interview, the groundbreaking event itself and the many questions left in its wake that would change their lives forever,” according to the synopsis.

Prince Andrew was widely criticised for defending his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his failure to mention Epstein’s victims during the interview.

A Very Royal Scandal marks the second time that Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview has played out on screen.

Back in April, Netflix released its own dramatisation of the events with Scoop, starring Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew and Gillian Anderson as Maitlis.

Maitlis is an executive producer on A Very Royal Scandal, and the series “is understood to be told more from her perspective”.

A Very Royal Scandal is part of an anthology of limited series that includes 2018's A Very English Scandal starring Hugh Grant and 2021's A Very British Scandal, about the infamous divorce of the Duke and Duchess of Argylle, played by Paul Bettany and Claire Foy.

In the 2019 Newsnight interview, Prince Andrew spoke out for the first time about his friendship with Epstein and allegations that he had sex with Virginia Guiffre when she was 17.

He insisted he had “no recollection of ever meeting” Guiffre.

LATEST ROYAL NEWS

• Kate and William write moving tribute to pizza-seller after his death from cancer
• Sussexes' outgoing Chief of Staff was hired to 'guide duke through his next phase'
• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle issued warning after Chief of Staff steps down

Maitlis mentioned a photo showing the royal with his arm around Guiffre’s waist, to which Prince Andrew claimed: “I have absolutely no memory of that photograph ever being taken.”

Soon after the Newsnight interview aired, Prince Andrew announced he was stepping back from public duties.

In January 2022, Queen Elizabeth II stripped the Duke of York of his military titles and patronages amid Guiffre’s civil sexual assault lawsuit that has since been settled out of court for an undisclosed amount with the Duke of York making no admission of guilt.

Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.