Broadcaster Emily Maitlis believes Prince Andrew "lied to me about his contact" with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein during their 2019 Newsnight interview. A recently surfaced 2011 email prompted the BBC presenter to rewatch the interview for the first time in six years, making her "more alive to all the inconsistencies" in the duke's testimony.
The email shows Andrew writing to Epstein: "We are in this together", sent just months after he claimed in the BBC interview to have cut ties with Epstein in December 2010. Maitlis told The Observer: "I think we know now that [Prince Andrew] lied to me about his contact with Epstein."
Royal titles surrendered
Andrew announced on Friday he would relinquish his remaining royal titles, including Duke of York, and public duties amid renewed scrutiny. The timing came just days before the release of Virginia Giuffre's memoir, whom Andrew paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case in 2022 while continuing to deny ever meeting her.
The former duke will no longer use his wedding day titles of Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh. He also surrenders his knighthood as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and his role as Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
Original interview claims
In the original 2019 interview, Andrew claimed he had "no recollection" of meeting Giuffre and denied having sex with her in March 2001. He said he was at Pizza Express with his daughter Beatrice on the day in question, while Giuffre alleges she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions after being trafficked by Epstein.
The BBC Newsnight interview, which Andrew hoped would clear his name, backfired when he said he did "not regret" his friendship with Epstein, who was by then a convicted sex offender. Andrew stepped down from public life in 2019 following the interview and was later stripped of his military patronages by the late Queen.
Broader scandal implications
Maitlis suggested the focus on Andrew's titles may be missing the bigger picture of the Epstein scandal. She said: "I think we know 1% of the Epstein files. Britain is fixated on the Prince and his titles. We might be talking about 1,000 victims and 30 to 50 paedophiles."
Andrew defended himself in Friday's statement, saying: "As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me." He added that continued accusations about him "distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family".
Although Andrew is relinquishing his dukedom, he technically retains it as it can only be removed by an Act of Parliament. The prince stopped using his HRH title after being stripped of his military roles following the controversial interview.
Sources used: "The Observer", "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
