‘Nuclear explosion level bad’: How US press reported Prince Andrew interview
Prince Andrew’s attempted defence of his controversial friendship with billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein has made waves across the Atlantic, where media outlets observed the Duke of York endured a “car crash” interview.
Widespread criticism in Britain of the duke’s response to questioning during a BBC Newsnight special on Saturday did not escape the attention of press in the US.
During the course of the interview, Andrew discussed allegations he had underage sex with teenage girls, and addressed his friendship with Epstein, who was found dead in a New York City jail earlier this year while facing sex crime charges.
The duke said he had “let the side down” by visiting Epstein in New York City when he was released from jail after pleading guilty to paedophilia charges.
When confronted with allegations he had engaged in sex repeatedly with accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre, Prince Andrew rebutted the claims, insisting he does not recall meeting Ms Giuffre and suggesting a photograph of the pair together may have been “doctored”.
The royal has repeatedly denied engaging in any unlawful acts.
The interview was widely covered in American press, including a headline from the New York Post focussing on his defence of allegations relating to Ms Roberts Giuffre. “Prince Andrew claims photo with Epstein ‘sex slave’ is fake because he doesn’t hug”, the tabloid wrote.
The New York Times, said Britain had been “appalled” by the programme, adding viewers had been left “incredulous” by the answers Andrew gave in response to a “polite-but-relentless grilling” from presenter Emily Maitlis.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post’s coverage highlighted analysis by Charlie Proctor, editor of the Royal Central website, who branded the interview “nuclear explosion level bad’.
US Today focused on the duke’s claim he had no recollection of posing for a photograph with Ms Roberts Giuffre, along with his suggestion the photo may have been doctored.
CNN reported that the interview was widely regarded as a “car-crash”, adding the British media had “lambasted” the prince over his performance.
CBS News observed the interview was a “high-stakes gamble” for the duke, suggesting UK press believed he had been left with no other choice by to address the scandal after “months of tawdry headlines”.
Bloomberg however took a slightly different approach on its Twitter account, drawing attention to dozens of satirical reviews posted for the Woking branch of Pizza Express, after Prince Andrew claimed he had been at the restaurant on the night he is alleged to have had sex with Ms Roberts Giuffre in 2001.
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