What’s A Very Royal Scandal about and is it similar to Netflix’s previous drama on Prince Andrew?
THE aftermath of Prince Andrew’s now infamous Newsnight interview sent shockwaves across the world.
Following the success of Netflix’s Scoop, Amazon Prime Video is releasing their own version of the story called A Very Royal Scandal.
What is the difference between A Very Royal Scandal and Scoop?
A Very Royal Scandal covers Emily Maitlis’ interview of Prince Andrew from the perspective of the former BBC journalist.
This is different from Netflix’s Scoop which was based on Newsnight producer Sam McAlister’s autobiographical book, Scoops.
The Prime Video series synopsis reads: “One night. One hour. One interview that sent shockwaves around the globe.
“Based on the real-life 2019 interview between Emily Maitlis and Prince Andrew over the scandalous accusations he faced regarding his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre.
“A Very Royal Scandal follows the action of Maitlis and Prince Andrew in the lead-up to the interview, the ground-breaking event itself and the many questions left in its wake that would change their lives forever.”
Another big difference is that for Netflix’s Scoop, Sam was an executive producer, while for A Very Royal Scandal, Emily is.
The journalist revealed what it was like having her story told on screen.
Emily told The News Agents podcast: “I felt terrified, obviously. Some of the scenes are quite poignant.”
She continued: “You suddenly remember you’re dealing with people’s lives again, and it is kind of weird thing.
“I don’t mean to be all po-faced, but it is a bit weird like that. But an amazing cast.”
Who stars in A Very Royal Scandal?
Michael Sheen as Prince Andrew
Taking on the role of Prince Andrew is esteemed actor Michael Sheen.
The actor is well known for his portrayal of famous people over the years.
This has included playing Tony Blair in The Queen and Chris Tarrant in Quiz.
Speaking about taking on the role of Prince Andrew, Michael told The News Agents podcast: “Once I start the process of playing the character, I have to put all my personal opinions aside, and my job is to try and make that character as real as possible.
“So, when it comes to a story like this, obviously, where there’s a mystery at the heart of it, we don’t know.
“There hasn’t been a legal case. We don’t know definitively what happened or what didn’t happen, what he did or what he didn’t do.
“And of course, that’s incredibly rare.”
Ruth Wilson as Emily Maitlis
Acclaimed actress Ruth Wilson takes on the co-lead role of Emily Maitlis in A Very Royal Scandal.
Over the last decade she has taken on some huge TV shows including playing Alison Bailey in The Affair and Alice Morgan in Luther.
She also played her own grandmother in Mrs Wilson and starred in BBC drama His Dark Materials.
When Emily was asked how it felt to be portrayed by Ruth, who often plays troubled characters, she joked: “I normally see her sort of clutching her wrists and pulling at her jumpers with her hair coming out in clumps and a very glassy dazed look as she hits the bottle.
“I think that could work.”
Joanna Scanlan as Amanda Thirsk
British actress and screenwriter Joanna Scanlan takes on the role of Amanda Thirsk, who is known for being Prince Andrew’s former secretary.
The star is famous for her roles in The Thick Of It, Getting On and Puppy Love.
Joanna also wowed viewers when she starred in Channel 4’s No Offence,
Alex Jennings as Sir Edward Young
Over the years Alex Jennings has taken on aristocratic and royal roles, so it’s no wonder he was chosen to portray Sir Edward Young.
The actor is best known for starring in The Crown, Victoria, and portrayed Prince Charles in The Queen.
Fans will also recognise him, from ITV‘s Unforgotten and A Very British Scandal.
Other cast includes:
- Éanna Hardwicke as Stewart Maclean
- Claire Rushbrook as Sarah Ferguson
- Clare Calbraith as Sam McAlister
How to watch A Very Royal Scandal
A Very Royal Scandal is a three-part drama.
The mini-series will drop on Prime Video on September 19, 2024.
Amazon Prime subscribers will be able to binge watch all the episodes as soon as it goes live on the site.
Netflix viewers can also stream the rival show Scoop right now.
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