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| Sean Coughlan | Royal Correspondent |
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| Welcome to this week’s Royal Watch. Prince Andrew’s “car crash” Newsnight interview is examined again in a three-part series from Amazon released today. Having watched it myself, I can tell you that after three hours it feels more like roadkill for Prince Andrew’s reputation. More on that below.
There’s more positive news this week about Catherine’s recovery.
And were there hints of goodwill for Prince Harry’s birthday? | |
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Powerful series puts more pressure on Andrew | Has a royal ever been shown to swear so much?
That disastrous Prince Andrew interview with then-BBC presenter Emily Maitlis has been recreated again, this time in the Amazon series, A Very Royal Scandal.
You might remember that Netflix depicted the same interview earlier this year, raising questions about Andrew's links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
This latest film is a tougher, more wide-ranging and much more sweary version.
It’s a long way from The Crown and even further from earlier royal dramas such as The Queen. |
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 | Andrew is depicted as being gradually cornered by questions during the Maitlis interview. Credit: Christopher Raphael/Blueprint/Sony Pictures Television | Michael Sheen puts in a powerful performance as Andrew, depicting him in an unflattering light as pompous, needy and lacking in self-awareness.
If this was about any other member of the Royal Family it could be a very controversial series, because even though this is drama, these are all very much real people. |
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|  | Michael Sheen said filming the new series was "intense". Credit: Christopher Raphael/Blueprint/Sony Pictures Television | One of the themes of the drama is the tension between Andrew and his brother Charles and also the palace officials.
It makes you think about the current standoff over where Prince Andrew is going to live, after he was told he would need to pay for the upkeep and security on his current mansion in Windsor.
Will he really be prepared to give up his lease on Royal Lodge?
Whatever happens, this latest film about his downfall is only going to add to the pressure. |
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Catherine returns to official engagements | The Princess of Wales has done some WFH (working from home) already, but this week she was back for an officially recorded work engagement.
She was WFC (working from castle) as her meeting about her early years project took place at Windsor Castle. |
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 | The Princess of Wales visited a group for fathers and their children as part of her early childhood Shaping Us campaign in November 2023. Credit: PA | It’s another small step on the road to recovery and a positive sign about her return after her cancer treatment. |
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Olive branches for Harry’s birthday? | Prince Harry celebrated his 40th birthday at the weekend, spending it with his family in California, before heading off on a break with some close friends.
He had previously told the BBC that he was approaching this milestone with excitement, while he’d been “anxious” coming up to his 30th. Since then he got married, became a father and made a high-profile departure from the UK and royal life.
With family tensions so high, observers were watching closely for any signs of olive branches on his big day. |
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 | Speculation that Prince Harry has been looking to move back to the UK has been dismissed. Credit: Getty Images | And yes, there were birthday greetings from the Royal Family’s social media account.
That was then shared by the Prince and Princess of Wales with the message: “Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to the Duke of Sussex!”
So does this mean a thaw in tensions? It does seem like a friendly gesture. Although it says something when such a brief line on social media is seen as a sign of warmth.
I wonder how long they spent pondering over including that upbeat exclamation mark at the end of the message…
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