Former Newsnight host Emily Maitlis expressed satisfaction that the Metropolitan Police is investigating allegations that Prince Andrew attempted to gather damaging information to smear his sexual assault accuser. Maitlis, host of the podcast News Agents, believes that Andrew’s downfall was inevitable after their controversial interview in 2019.
An Amazon series inspired by the infamous interview hinted at Andrew posing uncomfortable questions to Maitlis before the official interview. The series, A Very Royal Scandal, delves into the explosive interview where Andrew addressed his connection to Jeffrey Epstein, denied meeting Virginia Giuffre, and offered peculiar explanations involving sweat, the Falklands conflict, and Pizza Express.
Maitlis, who conducted the interview, also served as an executive producer for the series. The program portrays Andrew questioning Maitlis (played by Ruth Wilson) and other Newsnight staff about personal abuse experiences to assess their impartiality.
Although it’s unconfirmed if Andrew actually asked those questions, A Very Royal Scandal is based on interviews with individuals involved in the real events. Andrew recently renounced his royal titles amidst increased scrutiny over his association with Epstein and ahead of Giuffre’s book release.
Andrew denies allegations of sexual misconduct with Giuffre and reportedly attempted to discredit her by providing her social security number to the Met Police, leading to an ongoing investigation. Maitlis emphasized the importance of justice for Giuffre during an interview with Victoria Derbyshire.
Reflecting on Andrew’s decision to relinquish his title, Maitlis highlighted the gradual decline in his public roles since the interview, expressing that the outcome was foreseeable given the circumstances.