Royal gossip in the summer months is always pretty strange. Sometimes, we get the British papers dumping completely random stories out of boredom, and sometimes, the papers will drop something really significant. Back in “the good old days,” the Queen could simply head to Balmoral and not have to worry about any big story breaking during her summer vacation. That doesn’t happen anymore, obviously. So I’m curious if this is something the Mail has been sitting on for a very long time, and whether they’ve been holding onto it for a specific time and purpose. In November 2019, Prince Andrew sat down with Emily Maitlis for the “car crash” BBC Newsnight interview. In addition to the Newsnight cameras, a still photographer working for the BBC was there, at Buckingham Palace, for the interview. The photographer apparently took a photo of Andrew which has never been released, but if it was released, it would be very bad for the monarchy?
A photographer working for the BBC during Prince Andrew’s car-crash Newsnight interview claims to have taken a shocking picture of the Royal that would shake the monarchy if it ever became public.
Mark Harrison declined to reveal what he captured, but said it would ’embarrass Prince Andrew and the Royal Family’ if it were released. It is understood the Duke insisted the picture never become public, but Mr Harrison hinted that it may feature in a forthcoming film about how the BBC secured the interview. As a dramatisation, producers may feel free to recreate their own version of the ‘jaw-dropping’ image.
A source close to the Newsnight interview who has seen the original photograph said that if it became public ‘it will be so shocking, especially if it is decontextualised. Our jaws dropped to the floor when we saw it. It would cause Andrew much embarrassment – and imagine how high the bar has to be to cause him embarrassment after everything that has happened.’
Mr Harrison, an award-winning portrait photographer, said of his shot: ‘It has been seen by only a few people but it would be a big deal for the Royal Family. There is a lot more from that day that is not yet in the public domain.’
The source added: ‘It’s the kind of thing which would make the public drop their cornflakes. It is definitely not what Andrew would want out there and apparently he insisted that it remained secret. It was not one of the shots the BBC released. There is, of course, a chance that it will at some point come out for all to see, perhaps if the price is right. Of course the movie about the interview is happening so that is a possibility.’
The Prince’s spokeswoman declined to comment on the photograph last night, and the BBC did not respond to a request to do so.
[From The Daily Mail]
Maybe I’m lacking in imagination, but WTF?? A BBC photographer took a “shocking” photo of Andrew in Buckingham Palace before, during or after the Newsnight interview was conducted? What could be so shocking? Did he, um, whip it out? Did he grab Emily Maitlis? Did he do a Nazi salute? Why are we only finding out about this “shocking” photo now? And is it just a photo or was the ACT captured in the photo seen by multiple people within the BBC? Is there video of the act?
Photos courtesy of WENN, screencaps courtesy of the BBC.
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