The Queen knew Prince Andrew's infamous Newsnight interview was a 'car crash' straight away - but he was 'euphoric'
27 April 2023, 07:04 | Updated: 27 April 2023, 07:11
The Queen immediately knew Prince Andrew's infamous Newsnight interview was a "car crash" after reading the transcript before it was broadcast.
The late Queen was given a transcript of the interview to read before the interview with Emily Maitlis went out on Newsnight.
Prince Andrew, meanwhile, left the interview feeling "euphoric", but he was quickly tapped on the shoulder by his security and ushered away.
The duke quickly became embroiled in controversy after the interview was broadcast, with a number of people questioning the legitimacy of his answers.
In a new two-part documentary on Channel 4, The News Agents' Ms Maitlis said the impact of the interview "dawned" on the Queen before Andrew realised himself.
It was after the Queen had seen what the interview contained that I think it dawned on her, before it dawned on him
Ms Maitlis tells the documentary: "It was only on the Saturday when the Queen had reportedly read the whole transcript that he had received a tap on the shoulder by his security detail.
"And they had said, 'I think, sir, you might have to come with us.'
"It was after the Queen had seen what the interview contained that I think it dawned on her, before it dawned on him."
In the interview, Ms Maitlis questioned Andrew over allegations that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked Virginia Giuffre to have sex with the duke when she was 17.
He was also asked about a photo that exists of Andrew standing with Epstein's wife Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as a young Ms Giuffre.
Ms Giuffre's lawyer told the documentary that Andrew's interview allowed them to 'tear the duke apart' in a civil claim that was brought against the royal.
Last year, Andrew reached an out-of-court settlement with Ms Giuffre thought to be worth around $12 million (£9.6 million) following her claims.
He continues to deny the allegations.
Another sticking point for Andrew centred around a claim from Ms Giuffre that he was "dripping with sweat" when they danced together at a London nightclub in 2001.
I didn’t sweat at the time because I had suffered what I would describe as an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands War when I was shot at, and I simply — it was almost impossible for me to sweat
But Andrew said this could not be true due to the fact that he had a "peculiar medical condition" that meant he could not sweat.
"There’s a slight problem with the sweating. I have a peculiar medical condition.
"I didn’t sweat at the time because I had suffered what I would describe as an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands War when I was shot at, and I simply — it was almost impossible for me to sweat.
"And it’s only because I have done a number of things in the recent past that I am starting to be able to do that again. So I’m afraid to say that there’s a medical condition that says that I didn’t do it."
In the documentary, Ms Maitlis also revealed how some of Andrew's responses left her "shocked".
She said: "This is how I know that Prince Andrew is happy with the interview because he stayed chatting. He seemed very jolly.
"A whole load of people came in and I said, 'What's going on?'
"They said, 'OK, Thursday evenings we have the cinema night at the palace. You can stay if you want."
And at that point, I just thought, 'I've got to get away from here. I needed the space to work out what just happened."
