Original subtitles

Thank you.

Emily Maitlis, BBC.

Sir, I wondered if I could just...

Fuck off.

Oh God.

This way.

Yes.

Emily Maitlis, BBC.

Ah, may I have your mobile phone, please?

Would you mind spelling your surname?

Uh, M-A-I-T-L...

M- A...

- Where the hell is Emily? - Don't know.

No mobile, remember?

- Your Royal Highness. - Ah, all set?

- Yep, pretty much. - Excellent.

I'm actually in a bit of a...

When your audience with His Royal Highness is finished,

just return to the lobby,

and a member of the household

will retrieve your mobile for you.

- Shall we? - Excellent.

Got all the angles covered, I see.

Yes.

It's like you're making a movie.

Funnily enough, um, we use this,

uh, as the cinema room for the staff.

- Uh, it's Titanic tonight. - It is.

I always found that film rather over long, as it were.

And this is the head camera, I believe.

Look at that. What a bit of kit. You presumably, uh,

know what all these buttons do? - I hope so.

'Cause you're the cameraman.

...zoom function, focus. - Yeah.

Make you like your best in 4K.

Yeah, well, yeah.

Don't get too close.

- Go straight in. - Thank you.

I'm so sorry I'm late.

- I need the loo. - It's straight through there.

Left at the chintz.

Oh.

Oh.

[clock ticking[

Your Royal Highness...

we've come to Buckingham Palace

in highly unusual circumstances.

Normally, we'd be discussing your work, your duty...

Last thing I remember

Fergie was on top of the table dancing the bloody tango

with a plastic rose in her mouth.

Very good, Sir.

Ah, right, here we go.

Ah, missed the last putt. Bugger it.

Happy businessmen. Job done.

- Thanks. - May I have a quick word, Sir?

Okay, spit it out.

Ed Perkins got a call from the Daily Mail this morning.

They're investigating a story involving a woman

by the name of Virginia Giuffre,

formerly Virginia Roberts.

She claims you slept with her without her consent.

- What are you talking about? - The Mail have a photograph

of you and the... quite youngish woman

standing on what appears to be the upstairs landing

of a London house,

which she claims belongs to Ghislaine Maxwell.

Photograph? What photograph?

Well, a Kodak photograph,

um, said to have been taken by Jeffrey Epstein.

Uh, Ms. Maxwell is also in the picture.

What, you saying you've seen it?

Uh, no, Sir. The deputy editor of the Daily Mail has seen it.

Oh. When's all this meant to have happened?

Uh, March 2001, Sir.

Oh, for God's sake, Alastair.

How, how am I meant to remember that?

People take their photograph of me all the bloody time.

Yes. It's not exactly...

it's slightly more intimate than your average snapshot.

What, I got my hands on her boobs or something?

No, Sir, her bare waist.

God, I bloody love golf.

No, nothing. Uh, anyway, you'll sort it out.

- Yes, of course, Sir. - Likely a load of nonsense.

Just thought I'd make you aware

in case Her Majesty asks about it.

You're not suggesting The Mail are gonna print this shit,

are you? - I'm afraid so, Sir.

Ah.

Well, obviously, I have no recollection of this woman,

blah, blah, blah. - Right you are, Sir.

Well, fuck off, then.

Hm.

Welsh lamb on a bed of greens with some red wine jus, Sir.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah. - Thank you, Sir.

A letter is heading its way to Brussels

from the British Prime Minister, Theresa May

to ask for a Brexit delay.

It's now just a week to go...

...till the UK is scheduled...

Can you believe the Tories?

The ERG are literally killing Theresa May's Brexit deal.

- No. Fruit first. - I have a tummy ache.

A real tummy ache or I've got double maths tummy ache?

It's real.

My God, this is a shit show.

- Mum! - What?

No, eat a banana and see.

- Are you hungry, darling? - Yeah.

No, I was talking to Moods.

Oh, but guess what?

The ERG are destroying Theresa May's EU withdrawal.

I mean, there's literally no one in charge anymore.

- I love you too. Football kit? - In my bag.

Can you imagine what Boris is thinking?

First, he shafts David Cameron over Brexit.

Then he shafts Theresa May.

A hundred percent he's sitting there right now,

like eating a, you know, bacon bap

writing his Tory leadership acceptance speech.

It's like he's scripted the whole thing.

I mean, seriously, you can't make this stuff up.

It's absolute... - Go for a run, darling. Please.

Katya Adler in Brussels.

Now, Neil, you have some other stories from our news desk.

Israeli troops have shot...

Barry Gardiner, you talk about sovereignty,

you talk about controlling immigration,

but how are any of those things real

when parliament can't even agree

on an EU withdrawal?

Emily, we accept the results of the referendum.

You accept that you are leaving Europe?

We accept the results of the referendum,

and we intend to set out our vision for Brexit

at the next election. - Okay.

So, if a general election is called next week,

what will be on your manifesto?

What Brexit vision will be on your manifesto then?

To negotiate the deal that we have set out in that...

And that's going on the leaflet?

- Well, we will... - Standby VT.

...decide our manifesto position as we normally do.

It's a Democratic party.

It's not made up by one person on Newsnight, as you know.

- It's not made up at all... - But what we have said...

I mean, people are literally pulling their hair out tonight.

- Peddlers of chaos. - I'm sorry,

I didn't interrupt you. - Okay, I'm moving on.

An investigation into thousands of teenagers

in unregulated care homes is underway.

Newsnight will take a look at several cases.

- Hi. - Fuck.

Hi. Sorry.

Um, dog wouldn't settle

so I played one of his relaxation tapes.

Yeah, no, I must have, er...

I was watching Newsnight.

Did you see the Brexit interview?

Oh, you didn't see it, did you?

I might have nodded off.

Oh. I need a drink.

You've already got a... drink.

What's up?

We've got a complaint.

About the interview?

Yeah.

Have you been shooting your mouth off again?

No, I just got a bit... stroppy.

Bit stroppy?

Well, I might have done an eye roll.

What? Like...?

Like, you know, urgh.

You did that on camera?

- No, no. - It's the BBC, babe.

- No, it was smaller than that. - Don't roll your eyes.

Yeah, literally it was the tiniest eye roll.

Oh, come on, fuck it, you know... if John Humphrys

or Jeremy Paxman had done that,

do you think they'd have got a complaint?

Of course they wouldn't.

Everyone would be like, oh, you know, good old Humphrys.

Good old Paxo... telling it how it is, you know.

It'll blow over.

Moody pooed in the kitchen again.

You have to go in the garden with him, Mark.

He hates pooing on his own.

Yeah, well, that's just weird.

- Well, he's high maintenance. - What?

A member of this household is high maintenance?

I'm going up.

It'll be fine.

Oh.

Hmm.

All I'm thinking about is your shit.

Morning, morning. Sorry, I'm late.

Okay, can we all...

- Hello, Stew. - Yeah.

- Jake. - Sorry, Esme.

Right.

So, tonight Boris's people are talking to Sam

about a possible sit down. - Oh, bollocks.

What do they really want?

Show us they're not scared of the BBC.

You mean they don't want us to say they never come on.

It's a holding pattern. It'll never happen.

- Jake, you with us? - Sorry, yeah.

Right. So, we'll go with the rumours

of Theresa May's resignation and Trump and Mueller and...

The legalisation of same sex marriage in Taiwan.

Good luck finding the first Asian gay couple who want

to stay up till 5:00 AM Taiwan time to talk to Newsnight.

Alright, but anything but Brexit, please.

What else?

I had the most amazing call from Prince Andrew's PR team

asking if we'd like to interview him about Pitch@Palace.

What's Pitch@Palace?

Dragons Den with cucumber sandwiches.

- You're not selling it. - Uh, it's better than that.

Young entrepreneurs pitch their ideas

to established entrepreneurs

at these like get-togethers at the... palace.

Pitch@Pa... it's a networking thing.

Right, why, why is a senior royal

doing get-togethers with entrepreneurs?

He lost Trade Envoy back in whenever it...

- Uh, 2011. - That's right.

When he was caught staying with that paedo,

Jeffrey Epstein, in New York.

That photo in Central Park.

I can see why you're a top journalist.

Fuck you so much.

So, is Epstein still in New York?

Uh, I think so. Yep. Yep.

And Andy's clear of all that, is he?

Well, yeah. Apart from that pic in The Mail on Sunday of him

with his hand around some girl's waist.

Ugh. Virginia Giuffre.

She's one of Epstein's victims, right?

Well, if she was, she's come out fighting.

Yeah, this was at Ghislaine Maxwell's apartment.

Apparently, Epstein took the photo.

What happened to that photo?

Oh, Palace denied it.

Press said, of course, Your Majesty.

Why did no one follow up?

Don't ask me. I was still watching Blue Peter.

Here's one I abused earlier.

No, seriously. Why didn't we investigate?

Oh, darling, you were here.

Plus, the Beeb doesn't do Royals,

not since Bashir's Diana interview.

More trouble than it was worth.

So, am I checking this out or not?

No. I want you to focus on Brexit

and the Tory leadership race.

You know, we could put Epstein on the table...

see what Andrew's people say.

Fine. Ask. But they'll say no.

I can make anybody say yes.

Why does that sound scary?

Next.

I'm having a baby.

- Oh. Congratulations. - Hey.

Congratulations, Stewart.

Did your wife have anything to do with it?

She says I'm coping really well.

- Did you see the Times article? - Urgh.

It's time the BBC reined in Emily Maitlis.

It'll pass.

And the complaint?

Ah, there'll be a meeting, and they'll drop it.

Mm.

I was too much.

I overreacted.

Er, maybe.

I don't know. Come on.

Yep.

Oh, fuck.

Pitch@Palace is an idea.

Pitch@Palace is a marketplace.

Pitch@Palace is, if you like, a revolution.

Um, uh, and for me, perhaps most importantly, uh,

Pitch@Palace is a bit like a fruit cake.

Um, we are the cake, you're the fruit and nuts.

Uh, and this evening's event is what I like to call,

um, the marzipan.

I was asked recently, uh, uh, what I'm most proud of.

And, uh, first and foremost, uh, my two daughters,

the Princesses, Beatrice and Eugenie, here to lend

their glamorous support.

Um, not forgetting Pitch@Palace's

new Press Secretary, Jason Stein,

and masterminds these events alongside my, uh,

as it were rock, Amanda Thirsk.

Encouraging success and entrepreneurship,

um, for me is what the Royal Family is all about.

So, uh, well done everyone for making it this far.

And, um, enjoy the snacks.

- Sir. - Oh, oh, oh.

I do so want it to be a success, you know.

I saw all these... young people with their, their ideas.

I just think, well, what's the point of being a prince

if you can't do something, you know, positive?

You are. It's a big success.

My girls. Oh.

You know, Granny calls me the Palace Entrepreneur.

- Mm? - Really?

- I've got big plans. - Oh, tell us.

Ah.

- Um... I can't... - Sir?

- Amanda. - Just someone you need to...

- Daddy. - Two ticks.

Yeah.

You know, the papers are having another go at Daddy

about that picture in The Mail?

Oh, my God. That again.

It's a fake.

Anyway, they're always having a pop at him.

Randy Andy. - Don't, don't.

What?

No, I just don't like thinking of him that way.

Oh, it's just a stupid nickname.

I know. It's so cringe.

Remember him telling us how girls used to scream his name

in the streets when he came back from the Falklands?

Andy...

Evening, Moods.

Oh.

What?

Video taken in 2010 shows Andrew

inside Epstein's New York mansion.

This Royal visit just after Epstein convicted

and sentenced to jail for paying underaged...

Morning, Sir. Just this way, please.

Thanks.

Thanks.

It's all total bullshit. That's right.

No, they don't have the numbers.

No, I know, I understand that.

You have to let me know.

That's what you're paying me for.

Yeah, well, I need to let you know by the end of the day.

Okay.

Alright. Thank you.

Your Highness.

Welcome back. - Jeffrey.

Shall we?

Yes.

I am not gonna lie, Andy.

I got a heap of meetings over the next few days,

so... so we're probably best taking care of business now.

Uh, you said that there's...

there... there's something you wanted to talk about.

Right, yes, um...

uh, my ex, uh, Sarah.

Fergie.

Yes, yes. Um...

well, she's got herself into a spot of bother with, uh...

one of her old secretaries.

Um, he's suing her for 125,000, um, in unpaid wages.

Why do you let that woman bleed you for money?

I mean, I thought you guys were divorced years ago.

Yes, well, uh, we still, um...

well, my father insisted that I cut her off

after, um, well, she got a, a, a pretty rotten deal

out of our divorce.

So, uh, yes, I, I try to.

Dollars or pounds?

Uh, pounds, I'm afraid.

Obviously, in a normal course of things I would settle it myself.

But, uh, what with her other debts and, um...

that thing with the Fake Sheikh.

What the fuck was she thinking?

So, uh, so money's, uh, tight?

- Just at the moment, yes. - Sure, sure.

You got this guy's name?

Yeah.

Number?

I... I could get that for you.

Okay. Done.

- That, it's, uh... - It's gone.

Vamoose, forget about it.

Ah... thank you.

Thanks very much.

Obviously, I, I'll... I'll pay you back. And, uh...

It's my gift.

Is there, uh, is there anything else?

Um, uh, well, there was your, um...

I'm sorry to have to ask, it's just, uh...

a business in Florida.

Are you talking about my arrest? That's history.

Right, yes, yes.

It's just...

Um...

I... I probably can't, um...

I mean, I... I probably shouldn't...

Listen, I can get meetings with whoever I want.

You know, ex-presidents, mayors, CEOs,

they all know Florida was a fix-up.

Americans, we don't get hung up like your Brits.

No, no, no, no. Absolutely.

So anyway, I got a lunch on the sixth.

That's, uh, that's three days off.

Can you stay until then?

You get the run of the house.

I could do that, yeah.

Great. Great.

You're gonna meet a bunch of big names.

I mean, you know, serious players,

and they all want to meet you. - Ah.

And I thought, you know, if your work is, uh, the Trade Envoy.

Oh, that's very kind of you. Yeah.

Yeah, ten-four. Copy that. On my way...

Are we showing the Central Park picture

of Prince Andrew and Epstein?

No, why?

You don't think it's relevant?

Well, the story right now is Epstein's death.

Yeah, and we're sure he wasn't murdered.

The New York Police Department is adamant that it's suicide.

Okay, so what am I saying?

Well, the autocue's just been rewritten.

Should be in front of you now.

Okay, everyone, standby.

On air in five, four, three...

Following his arrest on sex trafficking charges

four weeks ago, the convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein,

was today found dead in his Manhattan jail cell.

Officials are reporting that the multimillionaire financier

hanged himself.

- You alright? - Yeah.

Hey, give us a cigarette.

They're playing fucking charades.

Of course they are.

Raaarh...

The... the Grinch.

What is... um, um...

- Raaarh, raaarh, raaarh... - Uh, wait, um... uh, Home Alone.

No, oh no, no...

Uh, romcom... uh...

- Romeo and Juliet. - No, this is dreadful.

- No, no. - Uh, Titanic, Titanic.

Uh... the divorce, uh, Kramer versus Kramer.

- Yes! Yeah! - Well done, Dad.

Just like us.

Stop it, we're the happiest divorcees in the world.

Yeah, same house, separate bedrooms.

Daddy, stop, that is too much information.

Can't live with me, can't live without me.

Yeah, I could live without your debts.

Don't be such a grumps, Papa,

Mummy's the bestest friend you've ever had.

Oh, fuck off, we're busy. What?

There's a call for you, Sir, Amanda Thirsk.

But surely, she can call tomorrow.

Alright, nobody play without me.

We're winning three-two, Bea,

make sure your fiancé doesn't cheat.

The poor man's probably thinking,

what the hell am I marrying into?

I love it.

- Oh, my God, he's so cute. - Thank you darling.

He is, he's very cute. Right, go on Ed, your go.

Yep.

Yes.

Good evening, Sir.

Sorry to ring so late.

Yeah, I do have a mobile, Amanda.

I thought it might be best to speak on the landline, Sir.

What?

Er, have you seen the news?

No, I'm on holiday with my family.

Jeffrey Epstein has just been found dead in his prison cell.

Are... are you there, Sir?

Was it suicide?

They're saying he hanged himself

but I... I'm not sure they really know yet.

Ah.

Is this good for me or bad?

Well, now that he's dead, the case against him

will have to be dropped.

But I suspect Virginia Giuffre

will go after Ghislaine Maxwell

for her part in the sex trafficking.

Well, that's nothing to do with me.

- No, no, Sir. - So...

I'm in the clear?

I would hope so, Sir.

Hope?

I see no reason why you would be a person of interest.

- No. Right. - Good night, Sir.

Okay, thanks, Amanda.

What is it?

Jeffrey's dead.

Hanged himself in his cell.

Oh, God.

You should never have accepted his money.

It was a gift to you.

Uh, but you were the one who went to New York.

I didn't ask you to take his money.

You sent me there with a fucking begging bowl.

Don't pretend that was the only reason you went.

At least in America, they give me some fucking respect.

A prince is a prince there.

Here I'm just my bloody nicknames.

Not to me.

Doesn't actually help much, does it?

Mummy!

Coming, darling.

At least when I make a mistake, I take responsibility.

Your lot wouldn't know sorry if it put on a wig

and danced the can-can.

Well, whatever you do, don't go blabbing

to the girls about Jeffrey.

They didn't ask to be our daughters.

And I won't have them being attacked for something

they're completely innocent of.

You know, I'm never going to ask you what happened.

Whatever you did... or didn't do I'll always be loyal.

And I wouldn't underestimate that.

- Hello! - Welcome back!

Let's put another call into the Palace.

Oh, they were pretty clear about it.

He won't talk about Epstein.

Epstein's dead, right?

So, now they're all gonna go after Ghislaine Maxwell,

and once they've gone after her,

they're gonna go after Prince Andrew.

If we don't chase him now, someone else will.

And I'm not losing out to bloody ITV.

- Stew? - Yeah.

I can give Amanda another call.

Yeah, we have to convince them that Newsnight

is the best place to talk.

You know, make him feel comfortable with me.

Maybe arrange a pre-meet.

- Sure. - Yeah.

- Um... - What?

Uh, Head of News just rang,

uh, the panel upheld the complaint.

Oh, for God's sake. It's a stupid eye roll.

It's, um... it's gone viral.

Oh, oh, oh, oh...

So, what happens next?

Well, the panel's findings will be published.

Someone from The Mail will write a bitchy column

and no one else will give a shit.

I give a shit.

I'm sorry.

I need the Andrew interview.

No shortage of that.

It started with a line, "I once knew a man called Poops."

Don't say that, Andy.

- Whose wife had terribly large... - Don't. Stop there.

And I, you can imagine the rest of yourself.

Oh, fuck.

Well, just let security deal with it.

No, I'll deal with it.

Why are they here?

Well, Virginia Giuffre's back on the telly. That's why.

Dispatches is on Channel 4 tonight.

Oh, God.

I'm taking my daughter to a wedding rehearsal.

Get them out the way. - I'm sorry, Sir.

There's nothing we can do about it.

For fuck's sake. Open the gates!

- Daddy, please. - Yes, Sir.

We should just fucking drive through them.

This gate is so slow.

If they don't get out of the way I'm just gonna...

go through them.

Just ignore them, darling.

Ignore them, darling.

Did you meet Virginia Giuffre?

Daddy, it's fine. Just drive, please! It's fine.

At no stage during the limited time I spent with Epstein,

did I see, witness or suspect any behaviour

of the sort that subsequently led to his conviction.

Hm-mm.

I... I think it's a very good statement, Sir.

I didn't ask for your opinion.

I won't have my daughter's wedding plans ruined

by a bunch of jumped-up journalists.

Well, I understand, Sir.

Two stupid photographs.

Two stupid bloody photographs, Amanda,

and a lot of vicious bloody press.

God, I swear to you, I have no recollection of this woman.

None at all.

You do believe me, don't you?

Of course, Sir.

I'm so sorry, Andrew.

Uh...

Does the boss know about all this?

Sir.

Prince of Wales's office, have they been on to you?

- No, Sir. - Because I'll be damned

if my brother's gonna stir the pot.

I fought for Queen and Country.

All he did was talk to the roses and shag his fucking mistress.

Here at this house in Kinnerton Street,

it's alleged Prince Andrew met a 17-year-old American girl

called Virginia Roberts. - It's on.

She later said she was excited to meet a real prince

and wanted a photo taken to send back to her family

in the States.

So, she handed her own camera to Jeffrey Epstein,

the man who'd introduced them.

Virginia alleges that moments after this photo was taken,

she and the prince went into a bedroom

and a bathroom just a few steps away

where they had sex.

Buckingham Palace said...

It is emphatically denied

that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact.

You don't believe any of it, do you?

Of course not.

Prince Andrew firmly denies any wrongdoing.

But whether his reputation will ever recover

from the photo of him with his arm around a 17-year-old

presented to him by a man later convicted of child sex crimes,

well, that's another matter entirely.

They're lying.

You have to fight back, Andy.

No one will believe me.

the queen will be watching this, Charles, all of them.

They'll... they'll cut you off without a bloody penny.

Alright, who's telling Emily? Stew?

Guys, did you see Dispatches last night?

God, we have to get the Andrew interview,

it's absolutely massive. - They've said, no.

Not the right time.

Right.

Now, Amanda assures Stew

that they're turning down everyone.

Oh, fuck.

- This way, Madam. - Thank you.

- Amanda. - Edward.

Do you know Donal, the queen's new Press Secretary?

He's just joined us at the Palace.

- Hi. - How do you do?

So, what'll it be?

Ah, gin and tonic, please.

So, busy times for the Duke of York.

Got enough troops on the ground?

Mm, I think so.

Well, the queen's office is happy to lend the hand

if you need. We're all on the same team.

Give or take the odd inter-familial tiff.

You know, the best advice I ever had

when I joined the firm was from your predecessor, Alistair.

He saw the Duke of York through quite a few scrapes in his time.

He reminded me how very unlike other human beings

our senior principals are.

He described their life as, I... I thought rather well,

as a frictionless existence.

They've never been late for a train

because the train waits for them.

They've never packed their own bags.

Never paid their own bills.

No, well, the, uh, Duke's ex

has caused him a few headaches on the money front.

But you take my point.

They don't meet the world in the same way we do.

It can make them a little naive at times... arrogant even.

But whatever their missteps,

our MO is to protect them from themselves.

I'm not sure I follow you.

Well, in my experience, when things get heated,

it's best to work between us

rather than pulling in the principals.

In fact, the less they know, the better.

That's not been my experience.

I find the Duke of York to be incredibly clear-thinking

and informed.

- About? - Everything.

Gin and tonic, Madam.

Ah, lovely.

The Duke of York has been accused

of raping a young woman in an apartment

paid for by the now dead Jeffrey Epstein.

There are flight logs showing he took multiple trips

to the paedophile's island on his private jet,

nicknamed the Lolita Express.

In 2010 he was photographed with Epstein,

by then a known sex trafficker, walking through Central Park.

At the very least, this shows poor judgment.

For now, it remains a PR problem.

But the Duke's accuser has just hired an American attorney

by the name of David Boies.

Very big hitter, takes no prisoners.

I'd say we are one more misstep away

from legal proceedings against the Duke himself.

Now you can understand that Her Majesty

finds all of this incredibly painful.

But emotions aside,

the bottom line for all of us

is to ensure that this scandal never touches the Monarch.

The Duke is one thing, the Crown quite another.

Now, at the end of the day,

it's your responsibility to protect your principal.

But I would suggest that you share any plans you have

with myself and Donal.

Do you have any plans?

I'm working on it.

Sneaky bastard! Who else was there?

Donal McCabe, Queen's new Press Secretary.

Oh, he's a little shit.

God... you'd think I was a liability

the way they try and muzzle me. "Don't do this. Don't say that."

I'm my own bloody man.

Urgh. Well, I appreciate your loyalty, Amanda.

Oh, thank you, Sir.

Really, this... this has to go away before Beatrice's wedding.

I won't have my daughter subjected to

an endless stream of lies and insinuation.

I may be many things, Amanda,

but I am not and have never been a...

Right, I'll race you to those trees.

Last one there's a fatty. On your marks, get set, go!

W... uh, no!

- Come on! Come on, Amanda. - You are not...

No, no, no! Your Royal Highness, stop!

You're a fatty!

You're a fatty!

You had a head start.

Oh.

Okay.

How are we gonna fight back?

I did have a thought, Sir.

Yeah.

Hey, um, email just in from Amanda Thirsk.

She'd like to quote, "Reconsider the possibility of an interview

with the Duke of York," unquote.

Wait, with Epstein on the table?

Epstein, Maxwell, no holds barred.

Not the usual 15 minutes.

An hour.

- Fuck me. An hour? - An hour.

You'd be lucky.

Right, are they talking to anyone else?

She isn't saying.

But I spoke to my contacted at Sky

and they're definitely in the race, as are ITV.

Ah, shit.

Look, Amanda's gonna be all over the optics with this, right,

so, we need to convince her that Newsnight's

the heavyweight forum that Andrew needs

if he's gonna push back.

Okay, so, our line is sofa chats and bland press statements

won't cut it.

Plus, the BBC's where the nation comes for big stories.

But you know when I said a pre-meet, offer that again.

Get me and him in a room together and then...

I can do my thing.

Okay.

God, it's so close.

I am the second fucking son of the fucking Sovereign.

If I want to go on telly and defend myself,

I fucking well will.

But Sir, I'm your press secretary.

Why in God's name wasn't I informed?

I don't need your permission to do an interview,

thank you very much!

I fought in the fucking Falklands!

It's time I reminded my people of who I am.

This is completely the wrong thing to do.

Just let the press blow themselves out.

If you feed the story, they'll only want more.

Oh, for Christ sake, Jason,

they've been feeding off this story for nearly 10 years!

Well, then stop making yourself such an easy bloody target.

Sir, this is not the way to defend yourself.

If you go ahead with the interview,

I'll have to resign.

Good. You're fired.

Go. Now.

Will he squeal?

No.

If he does, he'll never work again.

Yeah.

I was recruited at a very young age

from Mar-a-Lago and entrapped in a world

that I didn't understand.

And I've been fighting that very world to this day.

And I won't stop fighting. I will never be silenced

until these people are brought to justice.

Do you know what time it is?

Virginia Giuffre contacted the Metropolitan Police

in May 2015,

claiming that she was trafficked to London by Epstein,

specifically to sleep with Prince Andrew.

The Met dismissed her case in 2016 on the grounds that

any investigations into human trafficking

will be focused on activities outside the UK.

But the Met denied ever talking to Giuffre's legal team.

I mean that, that's a blatant coverup.

Like someone leaned on them.

Emily, stop it with the Google.

It, it, it's like crazy o'clock.

You've got a date with his Royal Highness tomorrow.

Oh shit. That's a point. How... how do I address him?

They'll tell you.

I think I should ask about the coverup.

Do you think I should ask about the coverup?

I think it's the middle of the night.

Go to bed.

Morning.

Good morning, Sir.

- All set? - Yes.

May I ask you something, Amanda?

Of course, Sir.

I was just wondering, you know, erm...

what do people make of me?

I don't mean, um...

it's just... nobody ever tells you.

It's always what they think we want to hear.

That's it.

Or they just look at you, you know.

Of all the Royal Family, you're the one

that I always thought was the most down to earth.

You've had an actual job

and you're always so loyal to your mother.

- Hm. - And dutiful.

Hm.

Right. Um, I'll be in my apartment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Please.

Tastes a bit like dish water.

- Oh. - Hi, hi.

Um, please do sit, do sit.

I've brought my, uh, my daughter, Beatrice.

Hi.

Well, thank you so much for agreeing to see us,

Your Royal Highness.

We know how busy you are,

so we really appreciate you giving us this time.

Hmm.

God, I don't think I've ever drunk out of such posh cups

in my life.

Shall we make a start?

Yes.

For months now,

Virginia Giuffre has been all over the media.

Hm-mm.

But the Palace has kept very quiet.

And we don't think that strategy is serving you as it should.

We think, um, the public need to hear your side of the story

from the point of view of a respected broadcaster.

I've been warned about you.

You, uh, you have a bit of a reputation, I'm told.

For?

Well, that rather depends on... who you're talking to.

Well, for you, I'll try and behave.

I'm sure you will.

So, I'm assuming that, um,

if we do agree a way forward as it were, um...

how long are you imagining that this interview would take?

Well, we'd be guided by you, but we, we feel we'd like to...

You and I will need an hour.

We were thinking 15 minutes.

Why would we need an hour?

Well, obviously it's up to you,

but it does feel like we have quite a lot to discuss.

Oh really? You ask me if the allegations are true.

I tell you that they're not, as it were.

Of course. It's just...

given who... Epstein was.

The Duke of York had absolutely no idea

about any of that.

Hm.

Uh, I guess an hour also gives us time

to talk about your amazing Pitch@Palace scheme.

Ah, well, yes.

Well, you see, that's... that's the big story for me personally.

Um, we're pushing it out.

China, Australia,

the Middle East, it's been a huge success.

A huge success. Yes.

The marzipan on top of the fruitcake.

That photograph, we think it's a fake

and we'd need you to look into it.

Right.

Problem is, you see, it's a copy of a copy.

Uh, we've had our own experts, um, on it,

but, uh, they say it's impossible to tell.

But we need someone outside the Palace

to do their own analysis.

See, we think it's been photoshopped.

Right. Yes. We'll absolutely investigate that.

Good.

Ah, um...

have any of you...

ever been victims of abuse?

- No, not personally. - No.

No.

Nothing in your life?

Nothing that bears comparison.

So, your judgment...

wouldn't be coloured by anything at all?

- Not at all. - Anything else?

I don't think we need to commit anything here, Sir.

Good. Okay. Well, we'll let you know.

Um, obviously I'll need to... check with upstairs.

Hm-mm. Right.

Stewart, so good at long last, thank you.

- Yeah, thank you. - Appreciate it, Amanda.

I'm sweating.

Pfft. Right.

Urgh, how weird was that?

- Why'd he ask about abuse? - Yeah.

I was like, ah, what the fuck?

Yeah, that was weird.

We're on.

- What? - Yes!

- Wait, when? - This Thursday. Two o'clock.

- Oh. - That's two days away.

Yeah, do you want to try and push it?

No, no, no. We'll lose him.

Alright. Tell Esme I need to rehearse right now.

- Fucking hell. - Fucking hell. Right.

- Fucking hell. - Taxi.

Oh shit.

We're sure this is right, a woman journalist?

The optics say she has to be female.

I agree.

Well, she's cocky.

You can handle her.

Your Royal Highness,

as far as you're aware,

did you ever have sex with Virginia Giuffre?

Okay. Uh, what's my strategy in this bit?

Mm, well, it... it's... it's two targets, isn't it?

It's... it's why did he stay at a convicted paedophiles house?

And did he have sex with Giuffre when she was underage?

No. If I ask either of those outright, I'll lose him.

I need to build it.

Alright, so... so build.

You know, start wide and then narrow it down,

like a police interview, beat by beat.

And if you ever denies having met Giuffre,

you show him that picture, okay.

That photo never leaves your side.

- They think that's fake, no? - Well, we're looking into it.

Yeah, it's really hard to analyse, so...

Okay, let... let's go again from did you have sex, et cetera.

And let's refer to her by her maiden name

when Andrew met her.

Allegedly.

Your Royal Highness,

to your knowledge,

did you ever have sex... with Virginia Roberts?

Emily, I've answered that question already.

And frankly, that kind of salacious questioning

should be beneath the BBC.

No, no.

God, he's not that aggressive, is he?

I mean, you saw him in the room, right?

Well, he might be. You don't know.

Right, go again. Next question.

Right.

Nevertheless, Your Royal Highness,

Virginia Roberts is adamant

that when she was 17-years old,

you had sex with her three times.

I've never met this woman in my life.

And even if I had, the age of consent here is 16.

And I most certainly wouldn't have known

if she'd been trafficked.

She says she met you in 2001.

She says she dined with you,

danced with you at Tramp Nightclub in London.

She then went on to have sex with you in a...

Like, let me be clear, Emily,

I am as appalled as everyone else

by what Jeffrey Epstein did.

And my heart goes out to those young women

whose lives have been ruined by his heinous crimes.

But that is not at my door.

- Wait. - Alright, well, look,

first off, this is a journalistic interview,

not an encounter with the Royals.

So, drop the Royal Highness,

just say it once at the beginning

and... and then you treat him like any other man

facing allegations of sexual assault.

Alright.

Let's go again.

I'm going to bed.

You should get some rest.

Mm-hmm.

You know, at the end of my meeting with Prince Andrew,

he asked if I'd ever been the victim of abuse.

I suppose they were bound to check you out.

Yeah, still, it felt horrible.

What did you say?

Well, nothing.

Having a stalker is not remotely comparable.

And I don't want to talk about it.

Oh.

Okay.

What are you gonna wear?

Okay, dress or trousers?

Oh, uh, trousers.

Trousers.

Is that a military jacket?

Faux military.

Seriously?

Yeah. I thought it would make him feel at home.

Is it a bit flirty?

Trojan Horse darling, Trojan Horse.

Okay.

Uh, monarchist...

or feminist?

First wave or third wave?

Well, third, obviously.

Uh, alright, well you... you wear the beige ones

you're saying you're his subject.

You wear the sexy ones, the Daily Mail will say

you were trying to distract him.

Fuck the Mail. Sexy heels it is.

Right.

Wait, where's Stew?

He's taken his wife to their first antenatal class.

Oh, sweet.

But he's still on it, right?

Heaven forbid his first baby should keep him from work.

Oh, yeah, my thoughts exactly.

I think we have to assume that the interview's going ahead.

Press secretary's no longer with him.

Liability doesn't begin to describe it.

We need to tread carefully.

We can't intervene while the queen supports him.

If by some miracle he pulls it off, we do nothing.

If, as I suspect, he fails,

I'd like you to be there when they interview him.

- Fine. - Don't say anything.

Just be a presence in the room.

I want the prince to know that we're watching.

All options open.

Gee up, Pup.

Last one back's a fatty.

Come on.

Come with me.

What?

Transcript for Panorama's piece on Prince Andrew

and the Epstein scandal.

Since when do Panorama share their stuff with us?

I told the editor they could use our interview once we've aired.

Right, this is Virginia Giuffre talking on camera

about having sex with Prince Andrew.

Uh, it says... it didn't last very long.

He wasn't mean or anything,

but afterwards he said, thank you.

She felt utterly ashamed.

She had to go and have a shower.

It was... it was a... a wicked time in my life,

a really scary time in my life.

There's more, loads more.

She says he sweats like a pig.

She said he danced with her at Tramp Nightclub

and that there were witnesses that saw them there together.

Does Prince Andrew know about this?

Not yet. But as soon as that Panorama goes out, he will.

- When does it air? - Three weeks.

December 2nd.

Well, he mustn't hear about this in advance.

If he does, he's gonna... he's gonna pull out.

So, we've a 24 hour window.

Don't tell anybody else about it.

No.

Okay.

Are you sure Panorama won't leak it?

As sure as I can be.

If they do?

We're fucked.

Are you ready for tomorrow?

Mm.

It's gonna be okay, Pups.

People forget... I've been to war.

I promise you I'm gonna blow this out the water.