Stunning new details from behind the scenes of Prince Andrew’s disastrous BBC interview

The journalist on the other side of Prince Andrew’s disastrous BBC interview has revealed new details that make the Duke seem even stranger.

The journalist on the other side of Prince Andrew’s disastrous interview with the BBC’s Newsnight program in 2019 has revealed new details from behind the scenes, which portray the Duke of York in an even stranger light.

Emily Maitlis appears in a new documentary by British broadcaster Channel 4, Andrew: The Problem Prince, and gives greater insight into Buckingham Palace’s role in his infamous BBC interview, during which he offered a bizarre defence of both his friendship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and his own sexual assault allegations.

Andrew later reached a multimillion dollar settlement with his accuser, Virginia Giuffre.

“Andrew said this curious phrase, ‘You know, I’ve got to seek approval from higher up.’ Of course, he’s talking about the Queen,” Maitlis revealed to the program, recalling the moments before her interview with him.

And after it had finished, Elizabeth II’s influence was once again apparent.

“The Queen had reportedly read the transcript,” said Maitlis.

“Andrew received a tap on the shoulder by his security detail and they said, ‘Sir, you might have to come with us.’

“It was after the Queen had seen it ... it dawned on her before it dawned on him.”

Emily Maitlis interviewing Prince Andrew. Picture: BBC

Andrew did not come off well. Picture: BBC

It seems Andrew’s mother was quick to recognise the interview for the PR disaster it was, while the Duke himself initially thought he’d done well.

“This is how I knew Andrew was happy with the interview: he stayed chatting (afterwards), he seemed very jolly,” Maitlis said.

“Then a whole load of people came in and I said, ‘What’s going on?’ and he said, ‘Oh it’s cinema night at the palace, you can stay if you want.’ I thought, ‘I’ve got to get away from here.’”

Channel 4 also spoke to a Newsnight producer, Sam McAlister, and Andrew’s lawyer at the time, Paul Tweed.

“I thought, ‘This can’t be real because this is just car crash,’” Mr McAlister said of the interview, which she thought might never be broadcast.

“I said, ‘Is he mad? Absolutely no way, that’s a bad idea,’” recalled Mr Tweed, who was clearly opposed to Andrew sitting down with the BBC.

“But the Duke made the decision on his own.

“I thought, ‘Somebody’s going to stop this.’ In the palace, you know … the reaction was devastating.”

Prince Andrew. Picture: Mark Kerrison/Getty Images

Andrew has kept a relatively low profile in recent months, having been stripped of his royal titles by the Queen before she died.

He was recently said to be “distraught” over the prospect of being “evicted” from his palatial home in Windsor, with a dramatic cut to his yearly earnings expected this month.

Andrew, 63, was living with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson at Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion in Berkshire, about five kilometres south of Windsor Castle.

It had been his official country residence since 2004, having previously served as the Windsor residence of the Queen mother.

For many years that was made possible but an annual subsidy of $436,000, paid to Andrew out of his mother’s private estate. Control over that money now rests with King Charles III, who is seeking to slim down the British monarchy.

As such, Andrew’s annual grant is set to be cut.

Without such a generous subsidy at his disposal, the Duke of York will need to fall back on his more modest Navy pension.

Andrew. Picture: Max Mumby/Getty Images

At Christmas, a senior royal reportedly joked: “We will kick Andrew out of the house.”

However the situation for Andrew is entirely serious.

“It feels as though his brother wishes to evict him,” a source told The Sun.

Andrew has reportedly told his friends he will not be able to afford Royal Lodge’s upkeep costs after the cut, meaning he will effectively be “evicted” before the end of this year.

“Andrew and Sarah are distraught they have been given such short notice,” the newspaper’s source said, adding that the Queen “died only a few months ago”.

“He’s not being explicitly kicked out, but it’s expected that he won’t be able to afford the maintenance.

“Royal Lodge has a swimming pool 98 acres of land, and is already in need of some repair.”

While Ferguson recently bought a multimillion-dollar townhouse in London, she and Andrew reportedly feel it is unsuitable, as they own a number of dogs and horses.

Another source suggested the move to cut Andrew’s grant was “about Charles telling Andrew he can use his own money to pay for things”.

Originally published as Stunning new details from behind the scenes of Prince Andrew’s disastrous BBC interview