Prince Andrew's infamous interview to be adapted into limited series
Amazon Prime Video is gearing up to create a limited series called A Very Royal Scandal, which will focus on Prince Andrew's infamous interview with Newsnight journalist Emily Maitlis. The three-part series—now in production in the UK—will feature Michael Sheen as Prince Andrew and Ruth Wilson as Maitlis. Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, is a prominent member of the British Royal Family, being the third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
Why does this story matter?
In 2014, Virginia Giuffre, an American-Australian campaigner, claimed that she was sex trafficked to Prince Andrew by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when she was 17 years old. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing in this case. Faced with criticism over his association with Epstein, he resigned from public roles in May 2020. In January 2022, Queen Elizabeth II removed his honorary military affiliations and royal charitable patronages.
Andrew's controversial interview that rocked the Royal Family
The notorious 2019 interview saw the Prince confronted with sex trafficking allegations with Epstein. During the conversation, the Duke expressed no regret about his association with the sex offender and disclosed that he stayed at Epstein's mansion for three days in 2010 after Epstein's conviction for sex offenses against a minor. The interview received widespread negative reactions, both in the UK and internationally. It was described as a "car crash" and "nuclear explosion level bad."
Here's what the series will be about
The official synopsis reveals that the show will trace "Maitlis's professional and personal journey as a Newsnight journalist, culminating in her highly praised interview with Prince Andrew." Notably, the anthology drama previously delved into tabloid scandals, spotlighting Jeremy Thorpe (Hugh Grant) in A Very English Scandal (2018) and Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll, in A Very British Scandal (2021) starring Claire Foy.
Meet the cast, production team of 'A Very Royal Scandal'
Joining Sheen and Wilson in A Very Royal Scandal are Joanna Scanlan as Amanda Thirsk, Alex Jennings as Sir Edward Young, and Éanna Hardwicke as Stewart Maclean. The series is penned by Jeremy Brock and helmed by Julian Jarrold. Blueprint Television is producing it for Amazon MGM Studios, with Sony Pictures Television handling global distribution. The executive producers include Karen Thrussell, Graham Broadbent, and Pete Czernin.
Know more about Sheen's recent roles and Wilson's career highlights
Currently, Sheen stars in the Amazon Prime Video series Good Omens, which recently premiered its second season. The Welsh actor has appeared in shows such as Prodigal Son, Quiz, and Masters of Sex, as well as movies like Frost/Nixon, The Queen, and both the Underworld and Twilight sagas. Meanwhile, Wilson is primarily recognized for her role in the Showtime drama series The Affair. Her other TV appearances include Luther, His Dark Materials, and the 2006 Jane Eyre.
