How Netflix film about Prince Andrew's disastrous BBC Newsnight interview comes ... trends now
The release of Netflix's Scoop about Prince Andrew's 2019 BBC Newsnight interview - widely considered the most disastrous in royal history - couldn't have come at a worse time for the King, experts told MailOnline today.
Scoop should be a timely reminder to Charles to 'grasp the nettle' and banish his brother from public life and his Windsor home for taking part in the TV show that continues to cause 'horrendous damage' to his family, it has been claimed.
The movie, which stars Rufus Sewell as the Duke of York and Gillian Anderson as Emily Maitlis, is being released by Netflix next Friday after its premiere in Mayfair last night, and is another headache for the King and Prince William at a time when the monarch and the Princess of Wales are both fighting cancer.
It will also bring Andrew's toe-curling interview to a new audience of millions around the world, who will see how he failed to apologise for his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and gave bizarre alibis to sex allegations made by Virginia Giuffre.
As well his extraordinary answers on camera, Scoop also shows the notorious moment the Queen's second son declared 'that went well, didn't it' afterwards, how he joked about meeting with Epstein in New York and even gave Emily Maitlis a tour of Buckingham Palace while jovially pointing out its most priceless artworks.
Royal expert Phil Dampier told MailOnline today: 'The King and the Prince and Princess of Wales would have been hoping that things settled down after all the recent publicity concerning their health issues.
'So the timing of these shows about Andrew's infamous interview is unwelcome to say the least. It will bring up the whole story again about Andrew's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and remind us why he is now in the doghouse.
Scoop (starring Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew) is being released at the worst possible time for the King, experts have told MailOnline
Mr Sewell as the Duke of York and Gillian Anderson as Emily Maitlis in Scoop, left, which retells the story of his 2019 BBC Newsnight interview - widely considered the most disastrous in royal history
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, smiles as he led royals into the Thanksgiving Service for King Constantine at St George's Chapel last month
King Charles III is seen waving to three public as he leaves Clarence House today
Billie Piper as Newsnight producer Sam McAlister, in the new Nextflix drama Scoop, which depicts the interview between the Duke of York and journalist Emily Maitlis. Sam McAlister said (pictured today) that there are still moments where she can't quite believe that Andrew said what he did
'Andrew has been the architect of his own downfall. Andrew should never have done the interview which will haunt him for the rest of his life.
'Princess Beatrice was there to help him but although she is a very nice person, she is not a PR expert and he needed better advice'.
The monarch, 75, and Prince William, 41, were believed to have been instrumental in the Queen's decision to strip him of all his military titles and patronage.
Yet Andrew, who later settled with Virginia Giuffre for a reported $12 million (£9.4m), was pictured leading the royal family to a memorial for King Constantine of Greece last month.
He also still lives in his Royal Lodge home in the grounds of Windsor Castle. He has reportedly refused to move to Frogmore Cottage, the smaller former home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle nearby.
Royal biographer and investigative journalist Tom Bower believes Scoop should remind the King that he must stop any attempt by his brother to get back to public life.
He said: 'To save the Royal Family from more horrendous damage, King Charles will finally need to order Prince Andrew to permanently stay out of public view. Senior officials also need to tell Andrew the truth. He is a serious liability and cannot be trusted or rescued. Unless King Charles firmly grasps this nettle it can only get worse'.
Mr Bower added: 'Andrew needs to realise that he has reached the end of the line. He has absolutely no future in public view. To expunge his pretensions of royalty, he should finally be ordered to leave his palatial home and move into a small house'.
Critics have long argued that the interview more than four years ago showed the world just how overconfident and out of touch Andrew is.
Gillian Anderson as Emily Maitlis and Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew in Scoop
Rufus Sewell (centre front with back to camera) as Prince Andrew in the new Nextflix drama Scoop, which depicts the interview between the Duke of York and journalist Emily Maitlis, played by Gillian Anderson (centre facing camera) with Billie Piper as Sam McAlister (left). Beatrice, to Andrew's left, was also in the meeting (played by Charity Wakefield)
