A Very Royal Scandal (2024) s01e01 Episode Script

1
[clock ticking]
[high tempo music]
Thank you.
[taxi door closes]
Emily Maitlis, BBC.
[clicking]
Sir, I wondered if I could just
Fuck off.
[whooshing, clicking]
Oh God.
[men chattering]
This way.
Yes.
Emily Maitlis, BBC.
Ah, may I have your mobile
phone, please?
[rapid footsteps approaching]
[plastic bag crinkling]
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. [laughs]
[high tempo music]
And this is the head camera,
I believe.
[laughs] 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.
[laughs]
zoom function, focus.
- Yeah.
Make you like your best in 4K.
Yeah, well, yeah.
Don't get too close.
[laughter]
- 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.
[door closes]
Oh.
Oh.
[high tempo music]
[breathes heavily]
[clock ticking[
Your Royal Highness
we've come to Buckingham Palace
in highly unusual circumstances.
Normally, we'd be discussing
your work, your duty
[distorted chatter]
[tense music]
[ticking]
[hooting]
[birds singing]
[carts whirring]
[men chattering]
[laughs] Last thing I remember
Fergie was on top of the table
dancing the bloody tango
with a plastic rose
in her mouth.
[laughter]
[man] 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.
[sighs]
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.
[ducks quacking]
[dramatic music]
Welsh lamb on a bed of greens
with some red wine jus, Sir.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- Thank you, Sir.
[seagull crying]
[newsreader] 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
[alarm beeps]
till the UK is scheduled
[news playing in earbuds]
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?
- [Mark] 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.
[newsreader] Katya Adler in
Brussels.
Now, Neil, you have some other
stories from our news desk.
[Neil] 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
- [Crew] Standby VT.
decide our manifesto position
as we normally do.
It's a Democratic party.
[dramatic music]
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.
[sighs]
[tyres whooshing]
[tense music]
[keys jangle]
[beeping]
[drink pouring]
[television playing]
- 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.
[footsteps receding]
What's up?
[Emily sighs]
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?
[sighs]
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?
[laughs]
I'm going up.
It'll be fine.
Oh.
[sighs]
[soothing music plays]
Hmm.
All I'm thinking about is
your shit.
[Moods whines]
[city humming]
[lift boops]
[office phone ringing]
[office chatter]
Morning, morning.
Sorry, I'm late.
Okay, can we all
- Hello, Stew.
- Yeah.
- Jake.
- [Emily] 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.
[Esme] 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.
[Sam] Ugh. Virginia Giuffre.
[Esme] She's one of Epstein's
victims, right?
Well, if she was,
she's come out fighting.
[Jake] Yeah, this was at
Ghislaine Maxwell's apartment.
Apparently, Epstein
took the photo.
[Emily] What happened to that
photo?
[Jake] 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.
[Jake] 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.
[Jake] Why does that
sound scary?
Next.
I'm having a baby.
- Oh. Congratulations.
- Hey.
[Sam] Congratulations, Stewart.
Did your wife have anything
to do with it?
She says I'm coping really well.
[laughter]
[coffee machine buzzing]
[office phones ringing]
- 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.
[grand orchestral music]
Oh, fuck.
[Prince Andrew] 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.
[laughs] Uh, and this evening's
event is what I like to call,
um, the marzipan.
[laughter]
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.
[applause]
Um, not forgetting
Pitch@Palace's
new Press Secretary,
Jason Stein,
and masterminds these events
alongside my, uh,
as it were rock, Amanda Thirsk.
[applause]
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.
[applause]
- [Jason] Sir.
- Oh, oh, oh.
[chuckles]
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. [chuckles] 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.
- [laughing]
- Yeah.
[loud party chatter]
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
[inaudible whispering]
[beeping]
Evening, Moods.
[phone pings]
[dramatic music]
Oh.
[phone pings]
[keyboard tapping]
What?
[tense music]
[reporter] 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.
[traffic rumbling, cars hooting]
[sirens blaring]
Thanks.
[Jeffrey] 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.
[affectionate laughter]
Shall we?
Yes. [clears throat]
[door opens]
[young girls chattering]
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
[clears throat]
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.
[laughs] 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, [clears throat] 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.
[mysterious music]
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.
[tense music]
[people chattering]
[police radio chatter]
Yeah, ten-four. Copy that.
On my way
[siren blaring]
[camera shutter clicking]
[background chatter]
Are we showing
the Central Park picture
of Prince Andrew and Epstein?
[Esme] 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.
[studio bell rings]
Should be in front of you now.
[director] 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.
[crickets chirping]
[owl hoots]
- You alright?
- Yeah.
[dog barking]
Hey, give us a cigarette.
They're playing fucking
charades.
Of course they are.
Raaarh
The the Grinch.
[laughter] 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.
[laughter]
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.
[sighs] Yes.
[Amanda Thirsk] 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.
[telephone clunks]
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?
[Eugenie] 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.
[solemn music]
- Hello!
- [Bea] 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.
[suspenseful music]
[crow cawing]
No shortage of that. [laughs]
It started with a line, "I once
knew a man called Poops."
[laughs] 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.
[dramatic music]
[reporters shouting]
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.
[cameras clicking, bulbs
popping]
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.
[knocking on window]
[shouting]
FERGIE: Just ignore them,
darling.
Ignore them, darling.
[journalist] Did you meet
Virginia Giuffre?
Daddy, it's fine.
Just drive, please! It's fine.
[journalists shouting questions]
[car revs, gravel crunches]
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.
[angry footsteps receding]
[theme music]
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.
[dramatic music]
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
[spokesperson]
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.
[Esme] 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.
[laughs]
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.
[chuckles]
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.
[butler clears throat]
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
[exhales]
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!
[laughs] You're a fatty!
You're a fatty! [laughs]
You had a head start.
[laughs]
Oh.
Okay.
How are we gonna fight back?
I did have a thought, Sir.
Yeah.
[office phones ringing]
[chatter]
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.
[exhales]
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.
[door opens]
[door closes]
Will he squeal?
No.
If he does, he'll
never work again.
Yeah.
[sombre music]
[Virginia Giuffre] 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.
[suspenseful music]
[phone ringing]
[Esme] 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.
[phone hang-up tone]
[high tempo music]
[fades into dramatic music]
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.
[laughs] 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. [claps]
Um, I'll be in my apartment.
[high tempo music]
Thank you.
[dramatic music]
Thank you.
Please.
[door opens]
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. [laughs]
Shall we make a start?
[chuckles] 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. [laughter]
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.
- [Sam] 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?
[whispers] 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.
[Emily] 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.
[high tempo music]
Well, she's cocky.
You can handle her.
[tense music]
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. [clears throat]
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.
[sighs]
Alright.
Let's go again.
[mumbling]
[door opens]
I'm going to bed.
You should get some rest.
Mm-hmm.
[sighs heavily]
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?
[chuckles]
[lift pings]
[office chatter]
[phones ringing]
Okay, dress or trousers?
Oh, uh, trousers.
Trousers.
[scoffs] 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.
[high tempo music]
[hooves galloping]
[Beatrice] Gee up, Pup.
[Andrew] Last one back's
a fatty.
[Beatrice laughs]
[Andrew] 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?
[tense music]
We're fucked.
[horse snorts]
[Beatrice] 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.
[chuckles]
[dramatic crescendo]