Emily Maitlis has opened up on the surprise reaction from King Charles after he reportedly watched her famous Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew on his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
A Very Royal Scandal will be available to watch from Thursday and has promised a newer and fresher insight into Prince Andrew’s interview with Maitlis, offering a different perspective compared to Netflix’s Scoop.
Luther’s Ruth Wilson will take on the role of former BBC journalist Emily Maitlis, and The Queen and Midnight in Paris’s Michael Sheen portraying Prince Andrew.
The star-studded cast of the show includes Joanna Scanlan as Amanda Thirsk, Alex Jennings, as Sir Edward Young, Eanna Hardwicke as Stewart Maclean and Claire Rushbrook as Sarah Ferguson.
The character of Sam McAlister, the producer who landed the Newsnight interview and was pivotal to Netflix’s Scoop, takes a huge back foot compared to the Netflix film.
Maitlis’ interview with Prince Andrew left thousands across the country stunned and remained in headlines for weeks, however, she recently revealed that words from King Charles after the interview have stayed with her ever since.
Speaking to Radio Times, Maitlis discussed what viewers will see within the series and revealed the interview appeared at the centre of three episodes but also explores the fallout.
Prince Andrew will be seen trying to grapple with his world being turned upside down, as well as being overmanaged by PR teams and journalists taking a look at their own careers.
She also revealed the surprise reaction that King Charles had after watching the interview and explained: “One month after the interview aired, I was taken aside by someone close to (then) Prince Charles and told – somewhat cryptically — that ‘HRH was not unhappy with the interview’.
“The comment stunned me. In the years since, I have returned to that one line so many times in my head, trying to fathom the meaning of the message.
“Was I being told that the man who would ascend to the throne just three years later as our king was perhaps relieved that this exchange had taken place? Use the opportunity to reorder the monarchy in a way that befitted these times?”
She added that the newly “streamlined, slimmed-down institution” supports the initial theory she had, noting that the relationship between media and the monarchy hasn’t been reflected back so starkly.
A Very Royal Scandal is reportedly set to aim to “demonstrate the power of journalism through a pivotal moment in British history”, getting into the Maitlis’ interview with the disgraced Royal about his friendship with paedophile financier Epstein.
During a press interview with the BBC, Maitlis added that in “some respect everything changed for Prince Andrew. He lost his royal duties. He lost the ability to wear uniform.
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“He lost the respect, you know, of the nation and became, I think, much more difficult for him in his place in the Royal Family. And on the other side, we don’t know if Epstein’s victims gained anything from that.
“We don’t know if their lives sort of materially changed. We don’t know, we haven’t had closure. There’s been no trial, there’s been a settlement, you know, costing millions.
“But we haven’t had that sense of closure there. And so I guess that is something that we’re quite honest about, and it’s something that I’m happy that we’re honest about.
“We sort of say, was it anything more than a moment? Did we change or did we just sort of, did we ask the questions? Can you ever do anything more, as a journalist, than just ask the questions?”
