Princess Beatrice was one of the key figures pressing Prince Andrew to go ahead with his car crash Newsnight interview.
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Princess Beatrice was allegedly present during meetings with the Newsnight team when the details of the interview were being finalised, according to The Daily Mail. The 31-year-old accompanied her father and his then-private secretary, Amanda Thirsk in meeting interviewer Emily Maitlis and the programme’s deputy editor, Stewart Maclean at Buckingham Palace three days before filming to discuss the interview.
“Sarah [Ferguson] was abroad so Beatrice sat in on the discussions. Initially, Beatrice was sceptical that a television interview, which would inevitably delve into her father’s private life, was such a good idea,” an insider told the publication. “She was asking lots of pertinent questions and had her doubts.”
“But by the end of the meeting she was convinced by the Newsnight team and Amanda Thirsk that they had no choice – that it was the only way to put all the rumours behind them,
“It was clear that Fergie was always there in the background.”
The source claims the Yorks hoped the BBC would screen the interview the same night it was filmed and were left disappointed when producers told them it would take a few days to prepare the footage. The publication alleged Beatrice was “mortified” she did not do more to prevent the video from airing.
“Even though she’s their daughter, both Sarah and Andrew rely on Beatrice’s judgment a lot when it comes to dealing with the public as she’s got an old head on young shoulders,” the source said. “You can’t really blame Beatrice because I think the odds were stacked against her on this one.”
“Andrew, Fergie and Amanda decided they had to do it.”
Prince Andrew’s disastrous interview has allegedly hit Princess Beatrice so hard that she was tearful during her fiance, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi’s 36th birthday party.
“Beatrice was sombre and make-up-free for the birthday dinner,” a member of Beatrice’s inner circle told The Daily Mail. “She was probably worried that her mascara would run. She seemed quite tearful at times. In fact, Beatrice has been in tears every day since the interview went out.”
