A Very Royal Scandal is a fascinating drama about Prince Andrew's infamous interview (Review)

The 2019 royal interrogation of Prince Andrew has become one of the most talked-about interviews ever. The heated Newsnight interview saw BBC journalist Emily Maitlis question the Duke of York about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his possible involvement in it. The exchange in Buckingham Palace was Andrew's chance to prove his innocence... and it backfired, enormously.

The interview, which the 3-episode miniseries chronicles, was chased down by Maitlis and willingly sought after by Prince Andrew to clear his name and public image. The 50-minute exchange famously backfired for Andrew, after some rather peculiar alibis, and questionable statements -- the fact that he doesn't sweat and that he could perfectly recall exactly what he was doing on one random day from decades ago.

Funnily enough, the 2019 interview was dramatized earlier this year. Scoop premiered on Netflix in April, telling the same story, starring Billie Piper, Gillian Anderson, and Rufus Sewell. And now Prime Video's replay of the scandal, titled A Very Royal Scandal, is out, starring Michael Sheen as Prince Andrew and Ruth Wilson as Emily Maitlis.

A Very Royal Scandal is a fantastically crafted drama. Both Michael Sheen and Ruth Wilson are sensational in their respective roles, bringing a sense of believability to the real-life figures they are playing. Sheen is almost unrecognizable, brilliantly capturing the greying complexion and glum expressions of the Queen's son. Of course, Sheen no stranger to playing real-world people. You may recall his portrayal of Chris Tarrant in Quiz, a drama about the British Who Wants To Be A Millionaire scandal. Ruth Wilson, too, transforms into a loving wife and mother, yet stern and steadfast BBC journalist Emily Maitlis with ease.

Unlike Scoop, A Very Royal Scandal is told from the viewpoints of both Maitlis and Prince Andrew. It does a surprisingly fantastic job at diving into their mental and psychological states, from Maitlis' determination to get the interview, and having to deal with the immense repercussions after it; to Prince Andrew's clear anger having gone from an untouchable royal to a disgraced laughing stock.

And we also see how the loved ones of each character are affected: Maitlis' husband and children, and Andrew's daughter Beatrice. The show feels intimate and personal, like we're getting inside looks into their lives. Whether, of course, personal scenes played out in real life as they did in the show, we must take this with a pinch of salt; Prime Video clearly states at the start that certain elements are works of fiction. We don't need any more Baby Reindeer-style lawsuits, that's for sure.

This show is less about the interview itself, and more about the personal repercussions in the lives of both Maitlis and Andrew. But the interview is covered nonetheless. I'm glad they didn't show all of it, or even most of it. At that point, you might as well skip the show and watch the original interview instead. Rather, it feels like we're sitting in the room, behind-the-scenes, with both of them. The viewpoints we get are ones you'd never see by watching the real interview. It's raw, eye-opening, and incredibly tense.

I do think 3 episodes was a bit much. It dragged at times, and the pacing fell off at numerous points. Perhaps 2 episodes, or even a feature movie, would've been more suited to tell this story.

Overall, I thought this was a fun miniseries. The magnificent acting was what instantly gripped me. With a dream team like Michael Sheen and Ruth Wilson, you can't go amiss. Did I learn anything new about the scandal from the show? Not really. However, it did help me understand on a deeper level the psychological impact on the two main characters, and how the ripples of such a gargantuan case affected those surrounding them. I'd recommend this series, especially for those of you who love things based on real-world events.

Grade: C+