HE WANTED to use it as an opportunity to clear the air, to tell his side of the story – but all Prince Andrew managed to do with his highly anticipated tell-all interview was make an impossible situation even worse.
Parts of it were almost too excruciating to watch. For 45 minutes viewers saw Queen Elizabeth’s favourite son squirming in his chair as hard-nosed BBC journalist Emily Maitlis bombarded him with embarrassing questions about his illadvised friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein (66). It’s a relationship that’s cost him his reputation and his job as a UK trade envoy, and has caused endless headaches for the royal family.
They got to hear about a weird condition Andrew (59), eighth in line to the British throne, claims to suffer from that makes it impossible for him to sweat. He also babbled on at length about a trip he made to a pizza restaurant in 2001.
These are two bits of evidence the prince believes conclusively prove that he never had sex with a 17-year-old girl Epstein allegedly trafficked to London specifically to sleep with Andrew.
But commentators aren’t convinced.
“He seemed unable to believe himself what was coming out of his mouth,” wrote Suzanne Moore of The Guardian.
Critics have also asked why he found it acceptable to go on TV but is still reluctant to come clean with the FBI, which is investigating Epstein’s sex-trafficking ring.
As for Epstein, who was found hanged in his jail cell in August while awaiting trial on new sex-trafficking charges involving several young girls, Andrew doesn’t regret befriending him. Nor does he regret inviting him to a shooting weekend at the queen’s country retreat, Sandringham, in Norfolk. Or to daughter Princess Beatrice’s 18th birthday at Windsor Castle.
What he does regret is that Epstein “quite obviously conducted himself in a manner unbecoming”.
Bu hikaye YOU South Africa dergisinin 28 November 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye YOU South Africa dergisinin 28 November 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
BALLON IN THE BAG
Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante says his Ballon d'Or win is a victory for Spanish football
IT WAS ALL A LIE
A new doccie exposes the Grey's Anatomy writer who fabricated her life story
'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'
After her husband, anticorruption activist Alexei Navalny, was poisoned and murdered by the Kremlin, she became the public face of Russia's opposition. In this candid interview Yulia Navalnaya opens up about life on the run, her perilous family life and why she's continuing her husband's fight to save their country
AGREE TO DISAGREE
Trevor Noah on how his childhood squabbles with his mother inspired his delightful new book
PAUSE THE CLOCK
Researchers have discovered that the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60. Here's what you can do to slow it down
MPOOMY ON TOP
We chat to SA's most popular female podcaster about love, loss and her booming success
MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME
Tinus Drotské says his sibling, ex Bok Nǎka, is the victim in the brawl with a neighbour that landed up in court
MATT THE RECLUSE
A year after his friend's tragic death, the actor continues to shun the spotlight
A LEAP OF FAITH
After her husband tried to kill her by tampering with her parachute she thought she'd never trust a man again-but now she's found love
THEY'RE MY KIDS!
This West Coast woman treats her monkeys as iftheyre humans and animal activists are not happy about it