Emily Maitlis ‘spots something new’ in Prince Andrew interview as ‘glorious irony’ exposed | Royal | News
Emily Maitlis admits she “noticed something new” while watching his recent interview with Prince Andrew. The 55-year-old’s interview with Andrew on Newsnight in 2019 led to him withdrawing from public life and handing back his royal titles.
The interview covered Andrew’s infamous friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as Virginia Giuffre’s allegations. Andrew told Maitlis that he “never had any further contact” with Epstein after their widely publicized walk in New York’s Central Park in December 2010. He claimed that he wanted to speak to the financier in person to cut ties, as a phone call would be “the way out”.
Moments later, the prince told Ms. Maitlis that he had stayed with Epstein for four days and attended his house parties because “his judgment was probably [his] tendency to be too honorable”.
Writing in The Times, Ms Maitlis says she recently re-watched the Newsnight interview. It comes after he renounced his title as Duke of York and membership of the Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior order of chivalry in Britain, as his ties to Epstein continue to come under fire.
The journalist says he noticed a moment of “magnificent irony” in one of the interviews. He wrote: “But this time I noticed something new. Andrew explains to me his argument for why the friendship with Epstein should end. And he unknowingly admits what’s on his mind.”
“I said, ‘With all the scrutiny I’ve had, I don’t think this is a smart thing to do.’ In other words, he’s more worried about being ‘seen’ than the friendship itself.
“I have no idea whether this conversation with Epstein ever took place. But it does present a wonderful irony: this man, who could not risk being seen with a sex offender, was filmed talking by the News of the World in a public park.”
Correspondence published in the Mail on Sunday and the Sun last week showed that King Charles’s younger brother and Epstein continued to communicate after 2010. On February 28, 2011, Andrew is said to have sent an email to Epstein asking him to “stay in close contact” and expressed a desire to “play around a little closer”.
Epstein took his own life in prison in 2019. The posthumous memoir by Ms. Giuffre, who died earlier this year, will draw more attention to Andrew’s ties to Epstein.
Announcing his decision to reinstate the title of Duke of York last week, Andrew said: “In discussions with the King and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded that the ongoing allegations against me are a distraction from the work of Her Majesty and the Royal Family,” a statement from Prince Andrew said.
“As always, I decided to put my duty to my family and my country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stay away from public life.
“We think that, with His Majesty’s approval, I must now go one step further. Therefore, I will no longer use my title or the honors bestowed upon me. As I have said before, I strongly deny the accusations against me.”
