National Portrait Gallery Considers Controversial Photo of Duke of York After Infamous Interview
Prince Andrew is once again at the center of controversy as the National Portrait Gallery considers displaying a photograph of the Duke of York with journalist Emily Maitlis, taken after his disastrous BBC Newsnight interview. The interview, aired in November 2019, led to Andrew stepping back from royal duties and has since been immortalized in the Netflix film Scoop.
Following the broadcast, which sparked intense backlash, Prince Andrew gave Maitlis a tour of Buckingham Palace, during which photographer Mark Harrison captured several images. One of these photographs has now been offered to the National Portrait Gallery as a gift, and the gallery is currently reviewing the offer.
A spokesperson for the gallery confirmed, "The photograph has been offered to the Gallery as a gift by the photographer and the offer is being considered via our standard acquisitions process." The final decision will be made after the appointment of a new chief curator, and the gallery may choose to acquire the photograph without displaying it.
If the photograph is displayed, it would serve as a permanent reminder of the Duke of York’s humiliation. Harrison, reflecting on the interview, recalled the palpable tension in the room, stating, "All my photographs taken after the interview show no smiles—just tension from Emily Maitlis."
Harrison also noted Prince Andrew's apparent lack of awareness regarding the interview’s disastrous outcome, adding, "At that moment, I thought, 'I can't believe you thought this went well,' while the rest of us were catching each other's eyes in disbelief."
