Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, took part in an interview about his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died earlier this year. However, the attempts to answer questions only raised more, and the Duke’s interview was described as a “car crash”, with some expecting it to hurt his immediate family.

Prince Andrew’s eldest daughter Princess Beatrice got engaged to property tycoon Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi this year.

The couple had yet to announce a date for the nuptials but said it would take place at some point in 2020.

But now, some royal experts are questioning what impact the Duke’s interview could have on his daughter’s big day.

Royal expert and author Marlene Koenig tweeted: “Beatrice’s wedding will be collateral damage.”

She added: “I will not be surprised if she has a rather quiet wedding, out of the public eye, with a few photos, no live coverage.”

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Speaking on his decision to do the interview, the BBC’s Emily Maitlis, who conducted it, said: “He explained that there will never be a perfect time to talk about such deeply uncomfortable issues. He chose to do it on Thursday with us.

“I can’t speculate as to what was in his head or what has gone on in his life.

“There are things coming up, like his daughter’s wedding next year and my understanding was that this was a once in a lifetime event.

“There are moments where it was quite raw, quite visceral, and it will be quite uncomfortable for the viewer.

“This is a man at the heart of the Royal Family who never does this.”

For several months the Duke of York had been facing questions over his ties to Epstein – an American financier who, at the age of 66, took his own life while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

Prince Andrew, 59, took the opportunity to “categorically” deny having any sexual contact with Virginia Giuffre, who was known at the time as Virginia Roberts.

The first occasion, she said, took place when she was aged 17.

Prince Andrew also said the only reason he was photographed with Epstein after his conviction in 2010 was to explain their friendship was over.

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The hour-long interview has been met with scathing feedback on social media and by some royal commentators.

Former Buckingham Palace press officer Dickie Arbiter described the interview as “excruciating”.

He said: “Any sensible-thinking person in the PR business would have thrown their hands up in horror at the very suggestion that he puts himself up in front of a television camera to explain away his actions and his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.”

He added the interview was “not so much a car crash but an articulated lorry crash”.

Royal biographer Angela Levin said she was gripped by the “ill-judged” interview was a “sign of his arrogance”.

She said: “The Queen’s motto is don’t complain don’t explain.

“I think in her heart she will be extremely embarrassed.”

Another royal biographer, Catharine Mayer, spent time with Prince Andrew in 2004 in China on a trade mission and said the interview was “terrible because it erased the victims of Epstein”.

She said “It was as bad as I expected. Probably worse. He did not mention those women once.”

But not everyone was so critical of the BBC interview.

Ahead of Saturday’s interview, Prince Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson wrote of her support for him on social media.

She said: “I am deeply supportive and proud of this giant of a principled man, [who] dares to put his shoulder to the wind and stands firm with his sense of honour and truth.”

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