Viewers may have been surprised when Princess Beatrice, played by actress Charity Wakefield, was portrayed in Scoop.
The new Netflix film follows the lead-up to the infamous Newsnight interview of Prince Andrew by Emily Maitlis, about his involvement with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and sexual assault accusations.
© NetflixMonths of negotiating between Prince Andrew's private secretary Amanda Thirsk and Newsnight producer Sam McAlister took place, and the stakes grew higher as pressure around the accusations mounted.
In Scoop, in an attempt to get the interview over the line, Emily Maitlis (Gillian Anderson) goes with Sam McAlister (Billie Piper) to the palace, to help convince the late Queen's son to go on the record.
Instrumental to securing the interview is an addition that was a surprise to many royal fans.
Prince Andrew, played by Rufus Sewell, tells the BBC team: "I hope you don't mind, I brought someone along. You know my daughter Beatrice."
The Queen's granddaughter is key to securing the interview, telling her father: "She's a woman", when the Prince asks why Emily is the person for the interview.
She's also presented as being more in touch with the real world, acknowledging the social media negativity around the Duke of York.
© NetflixOf Beatrice's involvement, Sam later told This Morning: "Now the only thing worse than negotiating an interview with an alleged sex offender in a royal situation is doing so in front of his young daughter. Beatrice was the difference between yes and no [...] I asked her tentative questions as she was just looking out for her dad."
The former Newsnight producer expressed sympathy for the Princess and Amanda Thirsk as 'casualties' of the interview.
© GettyReflecting on the interview in The Times in 2023, journalist Emily also wrote: "What is the duty of care you owe to those who trust you with their stories — particularly if they are in no position to answer back?
"And how could an interview that aimed to provide answers for vulnerable young women not end up hurting other vulnerable young women — his daughters — along the way? These were things I struggled with in the aftermath that still cost me a fair amount of thought today."
