‘Secrets of Prince Andrew’: Palace Insiders, Royal Experts Speak Out in New Doc — How to Watch
The U.K.’s most scandalous royal is the subject of a new documentary that will air on A&E. Secrets of Prince Andrew will explore the controversial life of Queen Elizabeth II’s third child. The two-part doc will feature interviews with palace insiders and other royal experts. They’ll shed life on the prince’s privileged life and spectacular downfall.
‘Secrets of Prince Andrew’ premieres August 21 on A&E
Secrets of Prince Andrew premieres Monday, August 21 at 8 p.m. ET on A&E. It will be available to stream the next day on demand and to stream on the A&E App and AETV.com.
Secrets of Prince Andrew is, according to A&E, the “definitive Prince Andrew biography. It “features the twists and turns of Palace intrigue, secret conversations, and looks at the Queen’s involvement in the repercussions following the BBC Newsnight revelations. With exclusive interviews and unprecedented access, the program provides a unique perspective on the Prince’s life, offering an in-depth look at the chain of events that led to his downfall.”
The doc will tell the inside story of Prince Andrew’s troubled, scandal-ridden life. Much of the focus is on his notorious November 2019 interview with BBC Newsnight. In that interview, he attempted to explain his decades-long friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. After the disastrous sit-down with Emil Maitlis, Andrew – who was rumored to be the Queen’s favorite son – was removed from his official royal duties.
Palace insiders and Prince Andrew’s friends and advisors are interviewed in the documentary
Maitlis gives a first-hand account of the interview in the A&E documentary.
“I wasn’t looking for a one-line scoop,” she says, adding that she wanted to have a “whole conversation” about Andrew’s relationship with Epstein. Andrew, on the other hand, was looking to bolster his public image and failed to anticipate the direction the interview would take.
“I wanted to do an interview with Prince Andrew and try and get answers to the questions women were asking,” she says.
Secrets of Prince Andrew also features conversations with BBC producer Samantha McAlister. She spent over a year working with Buckingham Palace to make the interview happen. Journalist and author Vicky Ward also shares insight on Andrew’s friendship with Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Lisa Phillips, a former model who knew Epstein, is another interviewee.
Palace insiders, and friends and advisors who know Prince Andrew also share their thoughts on the prince and his life. They include lawyer Paul Tweed. He warned the “naive” prince that sitting down for the Newsnight interview would not be “a good idea.”
Andrew disagreed, Tweed says.
“Because he believed he had not been guilty of any inappropriate conduct, he felt that he could explain that position … I told him absolutely not. Don’t do it.”
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