Prince Andrew's BBC interview has backfired spectacularly. Photo / Supplied
Prince Andrew's BBC interview has backfired spectacularly. Photo / Supplied
Prince Charles will head home for a showdown meeting with Prince Andrew, royal-watchers predict.
Experts told the Daily Mail that Charles would be livid with his younger brother about a week of damaging headlines that followed the latter's bungled TV interview about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
"I'm sure when Charles returns from New Zealand he will sit Andrew down and read him the riot act," said royal author Phil Dampier.
Meanwhile, Tom Bower, author of the explosive biography of Charles, the Rebel Prince, told the Daily Mail: "There's no love lost between Charles and Andrew and I'm certain they will meet.
"Charles will be furious that his trip to New Zealand has been completely overshadowed. The one thing Charles is determined to do is inherit the crown and he won't let anyone get in the way."
During his visit to New Zealand, which ended yesterday, Charles was quizzed about events in the UK but ignored a reporter who asked if his brother should speak to US investigators about Epstein. He's due back in London early this week after stopping in the Solomon Islands on the way.
In his interview with the BBC's Newsnight programme, Andrew was asked whether he'd ever had sex with Virginia Roberts, now Virginia Giuffre, or any other woman trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein.
He responded that he couldn't have done, because to have sex with someone is a "positive act" and therefore "very difficult to forget".
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at a concert in New York in 2005. Photo / Getty Images
Those comments are said to have "troubled" Charles' daughter-in-law Meghan Markle, who has championed the cause of female victims of violence.
A source described as close to Meghan spoke to Britain's Daily Telegraph, criticising Andrew's TV interview and describing Meghan's reaction to seeing it.
"The interview left everyone watching it wanting to curl under a table. It just got worse and worse and worse," the source said.
Andrew has denied sleeping with Guiffre on three separate occasions. She claims she first had sex with Andrew when she was 17. Andrew maintains he did not recall meeting her or spending time with her at a London nightclub in 2001.
A photo apparently showing Andrew with his arm around Guiffre, then Roberts, and with Epstein's friend Ghislaine Maxwell standing in the background, has been widely published. Supporters of Andrew have disputed its authenticity.
Andrew has faced criticism over a lack of empathy towards Epstein's victims and a lack of remorse over his friendship with the financier, who took his own life while in prison earlier this year awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
Since the interview, he has reportedly resigned from his role with his flagship business project Pitch@Palace.
The Daily Telegraph reported sources as saying Pitch would continue without any royal involvement.
Prince Andrew and the Queen were pictured on horseback in the grounds of Windsor Castle on Friday afternoon. Photo / Getty Images
Multiple high-profile business sponsors have said they will not be renewing their financial support for the initiative, while UK high street bank Barclays severed its ties on Friday.
Royal insiders told Britain's Daily Mirror it was increasingly likely all the more than 175 organisations Andrew is a patron of will ditch him.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Ballet and Outward Bound Trust are among those who have already announced an end to their relationships with the Prince.
The crisis may intensify after the transmission on Monday (UK time) of another BBC interview — this time with Guiffre.
The 35-year-old was interviewed before Andrew, and is said to be cross it's taken so long for the conversation to screen.
Andrew had been expected to travel to the Middle East this weekend as part of the Pitch project but cancelled plans, reportedly after pressure from his family.
He was pictured on Friday riding with the Queen and two others in the grounds around Windsor Castle.
