Princess Beatrice watched from the sidelines as her father Prince Andrew gave his disastrous, and now infamous, Newsnight interview in 2019.
The current affairs show's producer, Sam McAlister, appeared on ITV's This Morning to discuss cinching the interview, which was conducted by journalist Emily Maitlis, and divulging all of its behind-the-scenes secrets.
Sam revealed that now 62 year old Prince Andrew's daughter Princess Beatrice, 33, was there to support her father through negotiations, and that palace aides and Prince Andrew himself thought that the interview had gone 'wonderfully'.
Phillip Schofield said to Sam: "You mentioned Princess Beatrice there, so what was her involvement?"
Sam replied: "Yeah, that was a real curveball, because I'd turned up to the negotiation slightly brassy, a little bit ballsy, as I'm sure you've noticed about me already, a little bit ooh, a little bit aah, albeit with intellect and the legal element.
"But then Prince Andrew said 'oh by the way, I've brought someone with me'.
She continued: "I'm thinking it's got to be a lawyer, please God for your sake, let it be a lawyer, and then round the corner, Princess Beatrice is here.
"Now the only thing worse than negotiating an interview with an alleged sex offender in a royal situation is doing so in front of his young daughter."
Holly looked shocked as she said: "And then, obviously, you can't, sort of, stop what you're doing because of that", as Sam replied: "Of course."
Holly then claimed that she'd have "buckled" if it was her.
Sam then said: "Beatrice was the difference between yes and no" for the interview going ahead so the team was "really attentive" to the Princess.
She continued: "I asked her tentative questions as she was just looking out for her dad."
In the toe-curling interview, Prince Andrew denied ever having met Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual assault, and claimed to have taken his daughter Beatrice to Pizza Hut on the evening of the alleged assault.
The second-eldest son of the Queen also said that Virginia's accusations of him dancing and sweating were not true as he had a 'peculiar medical condition' that meant he 'did not sweat back then'.
In Sam's interview with This Morning hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, she said she 'couldn't believe' and 'still can't believe' the things he [Andrew] said.
She explained: "When I was watching the clips just now, I still can't believe that that was said on camera because who in their right mind would say that? You think it's the briefing chat."
She continued: "I have to be honest with you, just before we came on air, I got a bit of a nervous tic."
"So I'm looking at the floor, the beautiful floor, I'm 15 feet from him [Prince Andrew], I'm in Emily's [the interviewer] eye line, obviously I'm trying not to distract her, she's doing a phenomenal job, incredible, and I'm looking at the floor and trying not to laugh."
READ MORE:
Inside Kate Middleton and Prince William’s 'enormously' lavish Kensington Palace apartment
On her birthday, Diana would be 'distraught' that William and Harry are 'so at odds', says expert
Prince William and Kate Middleton pay touching tribute to 'inspirational' Deborah James
Inside Kate Middleton and Prince William’s home with panic room and secret tunnel
For the latest Royal news and updates, sign up to OK!'s newsletter
Source: Read Full Article
