PRINCE Andrew's disastrous Newsnight interview produced no shortage of infamous scenes, from the bizarre claim he couldn't sweat to an unexpected shout-out for Pizza Express.
Now, a body language expert has dissected the cringeworthy clues viewers may have missed as the "smug" royal desperately tried to stamp his authority on the sit-down chat with BBC host Emily Maitlis.
The bombshell appearance has been dramatised in the new Netflix film Scoop, which was released this week in a further blow to Andrew's hopes of ever returning to frontline royal duties.
Based on Sam McAllister's memoir, Scoops: Behind The Scenes of the BBC's Most Shocking Interviews, it recounts how the Duke of York, 64, was persuaded to open up over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Looking back at the real-life interview, body language expert Judi James says Andrew's excruciating performance gave off signals of entitled delusion at every turn.
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She tells The Sun: "At the time, watching live, those toe-curling moments were so acute that even Andrew’s toes seemed to curl in empathy with the viewer.
"On more than one occasion his left toe raised up to suggest he was suffering internally from the cringe-factor as much as the viewers.
"In retrospect there are several moments when his words and his body language collide in an almost exquisite way.
"Some make you want to look away from the screen while other keep you open-mouthed in disbelief to think he felt he was cauterising the claims rather than making things far worse."
Here, Judi picks out nine moments that reveal Andrew's inner turmoil as the royal disasterclass unfolded second by second.
1. Look of smug authority
At the outset Andrew’s body language signals defined regal authority and status.
His smile looks smug, his legs are crossed and his hands are clasped in his lap.
His power-play shows in his hand clasp, with his steepled thumbs registering status while his tapping together of his fingertips gave a sense that he was doing the world a favour by stepping down to agree to speak.
His eye-gaze is piercing and his left foot strays close to Emily’s feet in a space invasion technique.
His fast blink-rate as he says ‘Mr Epstein and all things associated’ makes him sound and look pompous.
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2. Crack in the armour
The first time Emily mentions Epstein’s name there is an instant response to suggest a break in Andrew’s composure.
A volley of eye-stutters and a tongue-poke suggest rejection and discomfort.
Andrew tries to retain his status and composure by making his Epstein outings sound grand.
Steepling his brows and raising his chin to again look pompous he speaks about a "cosmopolitan group at dinner parties".
When he claims he "never felt the need to go and party" and that "going to Jeffrey’s was not about partying", he adopts an almost cleric-like head tilt of disapproval, sitting solemnly with his brows steepled and his fingers meshed in what looks like an overkill ritual in terms of illustrating his utterly sober approach to the party lifestyle.
3. Deluded 'conductor'
On at least three occasions Andrew decides to not just clear his name but to add some extra shine to his reputation to, which implies arrogance.
He tells us, "I’m an engaging person, I want to be able to engage" to explain many of his visits to Epstein’s.
"I want to find out, I want to learn" is his phrase and his raised brows and winding hand gesture is followed by a squeezebox hand ritual with his fingertips pointing inward.
He also vies to show control by conducting his words with his index finger, like a conductor’s baton.
4. Pulling rank
Andrew pulls rank again when asked about Epstein procuring girls for trafficking.
His head falls back and the tip of his tongue emerges through his teeth.
Looking up at the ceiling he pulls rank, saying: "I was patron of the NSPCC’s Full Stop campaign. I knew what things to look for’.
His thumbs join in a steepling gesture of status.
5. 'Exam question' response
A scorchingly toe-curling moment comes when Andrew is asked why he would stay at Epstein’s place in New York within a month of his release from jail.
Andrew’s response is like a student that has just been asked an exam question they have swotted for.
He starts with ‘Right’ before tilting his head back and to one side. His frown becomes dramatic and his eye expression pained.
"I went there to tell him it was inappropriate for us to be seen together" is his counter-intuitive answer.
He delivers it with confident authority though as though it makes complete sense, using an authoritative eye-stare with his brows raised for emphasis.
Asked again about staying at the house of a "convicted sex offender" Andrew inflates himself with a huge intake of breath, looking up at the ceiling before letting the breath out in a sigh.
"It was a convenient place to stay," he tells us, shaking his head and closing his eyes as though it was not a big deal and as though it was perfectly logical. "It was the honourable, right thing to do" is his toe-curling add-on here.
6. Bigging himself up
Andrew’s biggest personal PR puff comes when he is asked about meeting up with Epstein.
"My judgment is coloured by my tendency to be too honourable" is his ‘humble’ reply and he adds a long-suffering stare.
He cocks his head and shrugs in another overkill add-on. "That’s just the way it is," he adds.
7. Getting it in the neck
Andrew’s pause for thought when asked if he regrets his friendship with Epstein is not just toe-curling, it is full body-curling.
There is a huge wind-bag intake of breath to stall for time as he decides. He tilts his head back and frowns, looking away.
His head sinks into his neck and he does some verbal stutters before answering "Now? Still not."
His index finger sews a tapestry of justified excuses in the air as he explains why his friendship was useful.
8. No sweat
His classic reasoning that he could not have been sweating as he danced with Virginia in Tramp nightclub is his ‘I don’t sweat….I didn’t sweat’ line, which ends with him popping in a reminder of his heroic status in the Falklands War.
His hand forms a fist and his lower jaw juts as he speaks about how his adrenalin levels got raised when he came under fire.
9. Sex education
Perhaps the oddest and the most toe-curling moment is Andrew’s little sex speech though, which he delivers in an educational tone.
His chortling laugh looks bizarre but he tells Emily with a serious face that, "If you are a man it is a positive act to have sex with somebody. You have to take some sort of positive action. If you try to forget it is very difficult.’
His stare suggests the subject is closed after this word salad explanation of why he would not have forgotten having sex with Virginia.
