A new Channel 4 documentary, Andrew: The Problem Prince, is shedding light on the catastrophic 2019 Newsnight interview that effectively destroyed Prince Andrew's public standing. The interview, in which the prince defended his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was greeted with widespread disbelief and mockery.
The documentary reveals how the interview came about. Following Epstein's death, the palace dropped its stipulation that questions about him be off limits. During negotiations, Prince Andrew brought his daughter Beatrice to a meeting with Newsnight's Sam McAlister and Emily Maitlis. After the interview, he invited the team to a cinema night at Buckingham Palace, seemingly unaware of the damage he had caused.
The interview led directly to legal action from Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she had sex with the prince when she was 17. Lawyers interviewed for the documentary say Andrew's statements opened the door to the lawsuit, which he settled out of court in 2022. The Queen is said to have “tapped him on the shoulder” after reading the transcript.
The documentary also explores Andrew's background, including his mother's indulgence and his relatively modest royal allowance of £249,000 a year, compared to Charles's £20m. One producer suggests this financial situation may have contributed to his poor decisions: “You feel that he’s being set up for failure.”
