Newsnight's Emily Maitlis has revealed the moment in her explosive interview with Prince Andrew that "changed everything".
Around 16 minutes into the interview, the journalist asked the Royal if he regretted his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
And a month on from the "car crash" conversation, Maitlis has said it was the answer to that seemingly simple question that became the "pivotal point of the hour".
Writing for the Guardian , she said it was then that everything shifted and she realised that the Duke was there to tell his side of the story, not apologise.
Maitlis wrote: "Does he regret the visit to stay with Epstein? “Yes.” Does he regret the whole friendship?
"It was around 16 minutes into the interview – and it was the answer that, for me, changed everything.
“Still not,” he said. And told me of the opportunities he was given by Epstein that were “actually very useful …”. It was such a candid admission, such a bald refusal to play the game with any wider apology or regret. It would become the pivotal moment of the entire hour.
"This is a man – a prince – who did not come to repent. He came to earn back his right to tell the story his way."
After that she says she understood and the rest of the interview simply flowed.
She said: "Andrew was unleashed. Unstoppable. After a decade of silent frustration, he wanted to tell me everything. He paused being 'a royal' and found his voice."
She also says he told her things he had "no need to reveal" - including his trip to Pizza Express in Woking.
Days after the interview Andrew was essentially 'sacked' by his mum the Queen from all his royal duties, releasing a bombshell statement about the decision.
Andrew, 59, was reportedly summoned to the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk to face "strong words" from Prince Charles.
It said: "It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family's work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support.
"Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.
"I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein.
"His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure.
