Here are some photos of Prince Andrew from the weekend out horseback riding at Windsor. He looks relaxed, safely protected by his mother and the Palace, even though he’s also the family shame. Andrew is the shame and the constant headache because while he’s been hoping that his settlement with Virginia Roberts Giuffre meant that people would stop talking about his association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell and their sex trafficking crimes, and he can resume public life, the public hasn’t been as accommodating. 

 

And now the fresh headache is that they’re making a movie about his shambolic interview on BBC NewsNight with Emily Maitlis. This is the interview that basically f-cked up everything. Andrew, who’s always held himself to higher esteem than he ever deserved to be, thought this would be the moment that would exonerate him. Instead, it did the opposite – it was because of this interview that he was forced to step down and disappeared from royal duty. 

The film then will be based on a book by BBC producer Sam McAlister detailing the behind-the-scenes negotiations with Andrew and Buckingham Palace that led up to the interview. Sam McAlister has been criticised by her peers at the BBC for claiming credit for the whole situation but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re adapting her story into a movie – and that’s the problem where the British royals are concerned. When something becomes a movie… it’s a whole new ballgame.

 

It regenerates a story that they desperately want to go away. Andrew already, in the interview, showed viewers that he’s stupid AF with all that talk about his faulty sweat glands. But a deep-dive into how it all happened in the first place? A dramatisation of his spectacular arrogance and incompetence? I don’t have to tell you the impact of pop culture on the culture – watching actors play this out will be even more devastating for his reputation, and the reputation of the royal institution because they have enabled his f-cksh-t for decades. 

This is why the British royals are so worried. It’s not like it’s been a solid, happy breezy few years for the Windsors. More and more people are questioning their value. Charles is getting ever closer to ascending the throne, and now they’re working on a movie that will expose not only the shortcomings of his brother but the shortcomings of the Firm overall. Well it’s no wonder they’re trying to discredit Scoop. 

 

But that’s just the gossip part of it. The other intriguing element to Scoop is that it’s a Show Your Work story! This is inside baseball. This is watching journalists do their jobs. That’s what makes it sexy, at least to me – we get to see how a team of investigative reporters were able to secure an interview with the most controversial member of the British royal family AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE. The story is being told through THEIR lens…and that’s what makes it so exciting. It also adds another angle to the situation in terms of how it can be marketed because, while the sensationalist draw here, sure, is Prince Andrew, there’s an added gravitas to the narrative because it highlights the work of media professionals while, perhaps in comparison exposing how irresponsible it is of the British royals, including Charles and Camilla, to work with the UNprofessionals… aka the Daily Mail. 

 

All of this represents a major concern for the Firm. And we haven’t even factored Hugh Grant into it. Initially it was reported that Hugh would play Prince Andrew. He has since said that he’s not even heard of it and knows nothing about it so that speculation would appear to be premature. But he knows now. And given how he feels about the British tabloid media, and what he’s previously said about being on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s side, and seeing as he’s in the “villain” stage of his career … it would be brilliant casting. He’d have a GREAT time in the role. Imagine him applying his Paddington energy to Prince Andrew?!