A Very Royal Scandal Review: Juicy Royal Drama

This British historical drama miniseries is a retelling of the 2019 interview of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, regarding his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein by journalist Emily Maitlis for BBC’s news and current affairs programme Newsnight on BBC Two. The series has 3 episodes, each with a runtime of around 60 minutes. It is written by Jeremy Brock and produced by Blueprint Television for Amazon MGM Studios.

A Very Royal Scandal Review

In the delicious scandal-ridden lives of the royals and the uber-powerful out in our world, this Prime Video series comes with a lot of interesting sequences as it retells a rather fever dream of a situation that took place during 2019. Suppose Price Andrew’s relationship with Epstein, the convicted sex offender, wasn’t bad enough for his image in the public. In that case, the interview he did with BBC journalist Maitlis made things thoroughly worse.

The series brings forth the events before and after the interview, as Prince Andrew opened up about the allegations of his sexual relationship with Virginia Giuffre (then 17 years old) and sealed his fate of being ousted from all public roles in May 2020, and the Queen removed his honorary military affiliations and royal charitable patronages on January 2022. The Prince Andrew drama has been a point of controversy since and has been a topic of discussion in many ways.

The interview, taking place mostly in the second episode, is the juiciest part of the series, made juicier still by the fantastic performances from the leads. But whatever comes before is nothing short of thrilling as we see the BBC journalists trying their hardest to land this much-coveted interview as everything surrounding Epstein breaks down around them and the prince’s own behaviours as he desperately tries to be relevant in his home under the shadow of his mother Queen Elizabeth II and brother Prince Charles.

The series breaks down these different situations and emotions in the most dramatic but fitting way possible, making you watch every moment without fail. The 60-minute runtime flies by as things move towards the inevitable climax of the interview around which the series is surrounded, and there isn’t a moment that feels boring or unnecessary. Michael Sheen is just so good, especially during the interview part of the series. He’s so uncomfortable yet headstrong in his approach to this sensitive topic that watching him make a mess of his image is just nothing short of shocking.

Also Read: Officer Black Belt Review: Kim Woo-bin Shines in This Thrilling and Entertaining Action-Comedy

However, kudos must be given more to Ruth Wilson as Emily Maitlis. In the actual interview, Maitlis’s cool and confident demeanour is something to be celebrated and appreciated and the way she lets the Prince dig his own grave by keeping her own questions and comments to a minimum is nothing short of inspiring to watch. She knows what she is doing and she knows she is damn good at it. Wilson brings out a similar feel to her rendition of the interview. Although she is nervous and (very) late before the interview starts, she immediately composes herself and brings out a calmness that makes the Prince fumble. It’s great to watch and a thrilling ordeal to sit through as well.

Netflix’s Scoop dealt with something similar this year, in which Gillian Anderson had played the role of Maitlis. The series goes further into the mess that happened following the interview, how the royal family desperately tried to clean up Prince Andrew’s image and the ramifications that it had on Maitlis as well. I found the emotional turmoil to be an important part of the show, a slow but sure descent into the grave that he so casually dug for himself as well as giving an added layer of interest for Maitlis as well.

Final Thoughts

This British Prime Video series is juicy and dramatic. Although there are some stagnant moments here and there, its performances and the sheer drama of the situation are nothing short of an extraordinary watch and will leave you feeling many sorts of ways. I liked the emotional third part of the series, which although it might seem a little extra, feels like it adds a layer to the characters. All in all, thoroughly entertaining.

Also Read: Grave Torture Review: Joko Anwar Film is Confusing and Conflicting