Prince Andrew was not let down by Buckingham Palace ahead of his disastrous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, a royal commentator has claimed.
Lee Cohen instead claimed the Duke of York “strongly advised against participating in the Newsnight interview” but “chose to ignore” the guidance.
Speaking to GBN America, Cohen claimed: “Andrew wasn’t let down by Buckingham Palace. Rather, he let himself down.”
He added: “Rather than being let down, he chose to ignore the guidance from those who understood the media landscape better.”
Lee Cohan claimed that the Duke of York ignored advice
GBNA
Cohen also argued: “It appears that Andrew did not adequately prepare for the interview and it led to a disastrous performance.
“This lack of preparation reflects a misunderstanding of how to handle the media.
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“Certainly the palace is well well schooled in that. So perhaps he should have followed their advice more closely.”
The Newsnight interview, which aired in November 2019, marked a turning point in Prince Andrew’s royal career.
During the interview, the Duke of York discussed his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his public role within the Royal Family was soon cut.
Paul Tweed, a lawyer and friend of the York family, offered a different perspective in his new book.
Prince Andrew spoke to the BBC in 2019
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He criticised Buckingham Palace’s handling of the situation, arguing that it was a mistake not to publicly address the facts after the interview.
Tweed’s book, “From Holywood to Hollywood: My Life as an International Libel Lawyer to the Rich and Famous”, also details how he asked to advise Sarah Ferguson in 2016, six years after she fell victim to the News of the World’s “fake sheikh” stin.
He went on to secure a number of settlements and apologies for her.
Lee Cohan spoke to Nana on GBN America
GBNA
Tweed has since become a friend of the York family, joining them in the royal box at Ascot in 2016, later attending Princess Eugenie’s wedding in 2018 and occasionally advising Prince Andrew in an unofficial capacity.
“For all I know, Andrew may have been given the best advice and chosen to ignore it,” he said.
“My point is that the court of public opinion has far more of an impact than the court of law.”
However, Cohen argued that the real error occurred before the interview, when Andrew ignored advice not to participate.