After his disastrous BBC Newsnight interview aired on November 16, 2019, Prince Andrew initially tried to defend both his performance and his decision to do it. He reportedly believed the interview had gone “very well” and that it would clear the air about his association with Jeffrey Epstein. His public statement that followed expressed “sympathy for all those affected by Epstein’s behavior” but maintained his innocence, repeating that he had “no recollection” of ever meeting Virginia Roberts Giuffre. At the time, Andrew and his team framed the interview as a gesture of transparency—an attempt to reclaim his reputation by addressing the controversy head-on rather than hiding from it.
That optimism, however, evaporated within hours. The public and media reaction was ferocious, describing his tone as arrogant, emotionless, and shockingly out of touch. Buckingham Palace was thrown into crisis mode as royal aides and senior family members reportedly reacted with disbelief. Within days, Andrew’s “initial response” to stand firm turned into a forced retreat—he announced he was stepping back from royal duties “for the foreseeable future.” His claim that he would cooperate with U.S. authorities also fell apart, with federal prosecutors later revealing that he had provided “zero cooperation.” The interview he once thought would vindicate him became the single most damaging moment of his life.
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