Prince Andrew, 59, appeared on camera to give an unprecedented interview about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. BBC journalist Emily Maitlis grilled The Duke of York for 40 minutes in what one royal commentator has branded a “car crash interview” that never should have happened.

While Prince Andrew sought to clear the air by answering questions about his friendship with the disgraced financier and sex offender he faced backlash on social media after speaking out.

Royal Central editor Charlie Proctor tweeted: “I expected a train wreck. That was a plane crashing into an oil tanker, causing a tsunami, triggering a nuclear explosion level bad.”

Kate Williams, a specialist in royal history at Reading University said: “The Royal Household today will be in damage-control mode, trying to work out how to minimise the damage that has come from this.

“He has to go. Simply, last night was really a burning of the bridges, I think, for Prince Andrew.”

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Since the Newsnight interview aired at 9pm on Saturday night The BBC’s royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell has claimed it shows a lack of control at Buckingham Palace.

He told BBC News: “They would have advised, if their advice was sought, not to do it. The Queen was informed but she is 93 years old now, and she is not exercising the strong control she had, if she ever did.

He added: “There is now a lack of strong central control.”

Mr Witchell went onto highlight how Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s decision to give an unprecedented interview while in Africa is also symptomatic of the royal family going in different directions.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams has claimed Andrew’s interview should have never gone ahead.

He told Express.co.uk: “The BBC’s royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell has spoken of a lack of central control at Buckingham Palace where we have seen both Prince Andrew and the Sussexes go in their own direction.

“This sense of a complete lack of crisis management has been reinforced by Andrew’s defence of his hideous car crash interview, that he was speaking ‘with honesty and humility’.

“At the very least he should have remained silent whilst the avalanche of criticism continued.”

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Mr Fitzwilliams claimed it was disastrous to hold the interview at Buckingham Palace, he said: “It should obviously never have taken place anywhere let alone at Buckingham Palace.

“There is debate in the media over what the Queen m knew about the interview which she reportedly had approved, obviously without detailed knowledge of what was to transpire.

“It saw the Palace used as a setting to give a cachet to a royal PR disaster that is unique in its awfulness.”

Mr Fitzwilliams added that recent PR moves made by Meghan and Harry also highlight a lack of central control within the Royal Family.

He said: “Harry and Meghan’s ITV emotional documentary which included details of the stress they feel being part of royal life, Harry’s confirmation of a rift with William and his attack on the tabloids before the Southern Africa trip ended, together with their taking a six week break as they consider what

royal life they want adds to the sense of uncertainty.

“Palace advisers are either not giving responsible advice or being listened to at all.”

According to Mr Fitzwilliams, the Palace needs to “get a grip” at a time when the nation is facing a political crisis.

He said: “The nation is holding a crisis election and sadly it seems that the monarchy, our symbol of national unity, is itself troubled.

“Action this day, to use Churchill’s phrase, is urgently required. The Palace must get a grip.”

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