The Queen gave her approval for the Duke of York to appear on BBC Newsnight only a few days before the programme is due to air.
According to interviewer Emily Maitlis, Her Majesty only signed off the interview either late on Monday or early on Tuesday, with the recording taking place on Thursday.
Speaking on Friday’s edition of Newsnight ahead of the interview’s broadcast, Ms Maitlis talked viewers through the year long process of securing an interview with Prince Andrew.
She said: “We had been taking to the palace for a long time, almost a year, and after Epstein’s death the talks intensified.
“We had several meetings. We had to made it clear that anything we did would be no holds bar, that we could go to areas that were uncomfortable if necessary and ask the questions we needed to ask.“
The broadcaster revealed that it was The Queen herself who had the final say over whether the Duke was subject to the interview, with the Royal Household having no sight of the questions in advance.
She said: “The Duke of York himself had to find approval from the highest levels. We understand that was The Queen. She gave sign off on either late on Monday or very early on Tuesday.
“We got the phone call on Tuesday morning telling us the interview could go ahead, and we recorded the interview at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.”
In the interview, The 59-year-old Prince admitted that he had let the Royal Family down.
He said: “The problem was the fact that once he [Epstein] had been convicted, I stayed with him and that’s…that’s…that’s the bit that…that…that, as it were, I kick myself for on a daily basis because it was not something that was becoming of a member of the royal family and we try and uphold the highest standards and practices and I let the side down, simple as that.”
The Duke also claimed that he had no recollection of ever meeting Virginia Roberts who has made a number of allegations against the royal.
Prince Andrew & The Epstein Scandal: The Newsnight Interview, will air at 9pm on BBC Two on Saturday.
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