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Symbol of Prince Andrew's disgrace set to be snapped up by showpiece national gallery... as it could be put on display for millions of visitors to see
Prince Andrew faces an extraordinary public humiliation as the National Portrait Gallery is set to acquire a photograph from his fateful Newsnight interview.
It could mean putting it on display with millions of visitors able to see a record of what is widely considered the most disastrous interview in royal history, when the BBC's Emily Maitlis grilled the Duke of York on sex allegations made against him.
His failure to apologise for his friendship with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein led to him being stripped of his royal title and duties.
The gallery – a public body linked to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport – last night said it is looking to add the image to its permanent collection.
The photograph records the moment after the interview when the Duke naively declared to his interrogator 'that went well didn't it' as they walked together through Buckingham Palace.
Prince Andrew pictured with BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis before their interview in which he spoke for the first time about his links to Jeffrey Epstein
Prince Andrew and Virginia Roberts Giuffre, aged 17, pictured together at Ghislaine Maxwell's townhouse in London on March 13, 2001
Virginia Roberts Giuffre speaks to press outside a Manhattan court in 2019 following the death of Jeffrey Epstein in his jail cell
The late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew watch a flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour, the Queen's annual birthday parade, on June 8, 2019
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell pictured together in New York in 2005
Royal commentator Margaret Holder said having the image on display would be a 'symbol of his disgrace [and] of his downfall as the son of a monarch, the brother of a monarch and a father'.
The gallery's royal patron is the Princess of Wales but she has no say over what works are added to the gallery's collection. After six months of private talks, gallery chiefs are expected to make a final decision soon. But sources said a verdict has been on hold while a new chief curator is appointed.
The image was first assessed by the gallery's curatorial team after being offered by photographer Mark Harrison, who already has images there.
It passed the 'first curatorial acquisitions meeting', which the gallery's website says means it 'believes that an offer should go forwards for acquisition'.
A print is due to be delivered to the gallery and viewed, before being considered by a second curatorial acquisitions meeting and the board of trustees, which makes the final decision.
Emily Maitlis during the controversial interview with the Duke of York about his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein
Prince Andrew pictured with his wife Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie
The board is appointed by the Prime Minister and includes Carphone Warehouse co-founder David Ross, historian Simon Sebag-Montefiore and artist Jonathan Yeo, who painted the first official portrait of King Charles since his coronation.
The gallery, which welcomes more than 1.6million visitors a year, says it is the 'national museum responsible for the history of British portraiture. Its mission is to maintain a collection of portraits of the most eminent persons in British history.'
Gallery sources said no decision has yet been made over public display of the photograph. But all acquisitions are automatically displayed on its website.
It follows reports the duke will be forced to leave Royal Lodge, with the King no longer prepared to fund security costs, believed to be £3million a year. Ms Holder said the acquisition of a photograph linked to 'a pivotal moment' in the duke's 'downfall' could embarrass the Princess of Wales.
She added: 'I would ask the gallery to consider whether they actually want to create problems for their patron.'
She also said the acquisition was a 'further humiliation for Prince Andrew at a time when there is considerable coverage of the King wanting him out of Royal Lodge'.
The Duke of York as he hosted a Pitch@Palace event at Buckingham Palace in London in June 2019
Virginia Roberts Giuffre speaks to Savannah Guthrie, along with several other women, on Dateline NBC show Reckoning on the night of September 20, 2019
Prince Andrew leaving Chinawhite nightclub in London on July 28, 2000
Royal biographer Hugo Vickers told The Mail on Sunday he had no issue with the gallery acquiring the image but there was a question about whether it should be put on public display.
He said: 'The Newsnight interview was an iconic interview – my instinct would be to acquire it but then place it in the library. They don't have to display it, they can just keep it. But in a hundred years time it might prove to be particularly interesting for one reason or another.'
Mr Harrison last night said he was surprised anyone knew about his talks with the gallery which he added had taken place 'over the last six months'.
Andrew Lownie, who is working on a biography of Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York said the gallery should acquire the image.
He said: 'I am sure Prince Andrew is not going to be happy with this because the interview was not his finest moment. But the interview and the photograph is a piece of history.
'This is an iconic image, and should be in the collection. The gallery's job is to record images and history and this photograph is part of that.'