Ruth Wilson: Duke of York blindly walked to his own grave in Newsnight interview
The actress plays Emily Maitlis in a forthcoming series about the high-profile interview.
Ruth Wilson has said the Duke of York was “walking blindly into his own sort of grave” during the Newsnight interview between him and Emily Maitlis.
The journalist grilled Andrew over his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and the allegations that Epstein’s victim Virginia Giuffre was trafficked to have sex with the royal when she was 17 during a 2019 interview.
Luther star Wilson, 42, plays Maitlis in a new three-part Prime Video series called A Very Royal Scandal, which depicts the events surrounding the high-profile interview.
Speaking to Maitlis for The Telegraph, Wilson revealed why she had watched the broadcast four times after it aired on the BBC.
She said: “I just found Andrew so lost. It’s such a fascinating character study of him. He was just walking blindly into his own sort of grave.”
Asked if she is a royalist herself, she added: “I think I kind of am, yeah. I think there’s a part of me that feels they really create a balance of power in our country which… keeps the country pretty stable…
“You know when the Queen died, when the King was coronated, just the respect in that room from all the many prime ministers – you go, yeah, that’s good.
“Even if it feels a little bit old-fashioned and strange, it’s something that keeps our nation grounded.
“I do think they are kind of central to the foundations of our country.”
Asked if the interview had changed her perception of the monarchy, she added: “I think it made me think about entertainment.
“Royals as entertainment. News as entertainment.
“And the sort of co-existence of the BBC and the royals – journalism and the royals – actually it’s a symbiotic relationship.
“They need each other. And so I think it was the sort of connection of the two of those things.”
The series, in which Maitlis serves as an executive producer, will see Good Omens actor Michael Sheen star as the duke.
Netflix released a film titled Scoop, based on the memoir of Newsnight producer Sam McAlister, earlier this year about the same interview, starring Gillian Anderson as Maitlis.
A Very Royal Scandal will premiere on September 19 on Prime Video.
