Emily Maitlis was left in shock during her infamous Newsnight interview with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The former Prince Andrew outright denied ever meeting Virginia Giuffre, claiming to be at Pizza Express in Woking—a curious alibi given a photo resurfaced showing him with Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Giuffre has alleged the prince danced and had sex with her on multiple occasions, but Andrew insists there’s no wrongdoing on his part. The mentioned photo, which appears to confirm their meeting, was further authenticated by an email from 2015 sent by Maxwell saying, “A photograph was taken…”
Maitlis found Andrew’s story absolutely “bizarre.” Instead of one reason, he rolled out six different excuses to claim the image was fake. She recalled being “utterly baffled” by his explanations, saying the prince tried to explain the unexplainable. From not recalling the situation to denying any public displays of affection—his defence wavered.
Maitlis’s team even went as far as seeking expert opinions on the photograph’s authenticity, only to find it’s genuine. Her recent reflections suggest she doubts the public was convinced by Andrew’s attempts to brush off the photo. Critically, she emphasises why this “lie” holds importance, arguing it discredits Giuffre.
Post-interview, Andrew was stripped of his title in November, after stepping back from public roles. This decision followed closely on the heels of losing his dukedom, under his brother’s command, King Charles III, who pledged support to abuse victims alongside Queen Camilla.
This interview highlighted one of the more shocking moments in royal history, leaving the public as baffled as Maitlis herself. Representatives for Andrew have yet to comment.