Rapid Insights: A Very Royal Scandal Sets the Standard for Prestige Drama and Real-Life Scandal

This week, Amazon Prime Video will be premiering its third limited series that traces an infamous, real-life UK scandal that dominated the headlines in its day. Instead of politicians (2018’s A Very English Scandal) or the nobility (2021’s A Very British Scandal), however, this new series tackles the very top of British society, dramatizing journalist Emily Maitlis’s (played by Ruth Wilson) 2019 bombshell interview of Prince Andrew (Michael Sheen) about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Here’s what you need to know about A Very Royal Scandal:

Vault uses index scores to describe the impact a given story/theme/element will have on specific KPIs: 
≤79 Disappointing  80-89 Challenging  90-109 Average  110-119 Promising  120+ Outstanding

Is the audience the same for all three Scandal miniseries? 
No. For A Very Royal Scandal, we’re predicting a more gender-balanced viewership (45% men / 55% women) that leans heavily toward those 30+ (76%)–closer in line with the English Scandal audience. A Very British Scandal, however, appealed much more strongly to women (71%), because of its antihero Female Protagonist (126) and exploration of women’s empowerment in the 1960s.

What do these three limited series have in common? 
A real-life story that rocked the tabloids. The factual nature of each show’s ripped-from-the-headlines scandal (Based on Historical Events, 134) is a key viewership driver, whether the story takes place in the distant (English, British) or very recent (Royal) past. Each series explores the reveal of hidden truths (Exposé, 129) from within the upper echelons of British society, from Parliament (Political Life, 113 – English Scandal) to the peerage (Nobility, 135 – British Scandal) to the royal family (Royalty, 125 – Royal Scandal), leaving viewers eager to witness the shocking goings-on within what are often very closed-off circles.

What will set A Very Royal Scandal apart from its predecessors? 
The Emotional Roller Coaster (143) of a smart, probing interview. While English Scandal focused on a politician’s Forbidden Love (124) affair and British Scandal looked at the Marital Problems (140) and Adultery (153) within a Duke’s marriage, Royal Scandal pulls away from romantic entanglements and instead spotlights a pivotal moment between adversaries. The show centers on the prolonged on-camera confrontation between Prince Andrew and journalist Emily Maitlis about Andrew’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein (Conflict of Interest, 119), with Andrew ultimately Losing Control (113) of his intended narrative. This clash and its aftermath–including Andrew’s World Turned Upside Down (127) and the royal family’s Political Manipulations (113) to distance themselves from his disgrace–are important drivers for both ratings and bingeability.

What type of viewing experience will audiences be tuning in for? 
One that spurs outrage. Unlike English and British Scandal, which both leaned into the salaciousness of illicit love affairs and tempted viewers with a more positive and intriguing set of emotions (Anticipation, Awe, Interest, Trust), Royal Scandal will be laying bare the monstrosity of the accusations against Prince Andrew. Feelings like Rage (113) and Disapproval (112) will be brought to the fore as audiences look to understand the extent of his guilt.

Which themes will help this series make a splash in the UK? 
Its ties to the current monarchy. British audiences will lean even more than Americans into Royal Scandal’s focus on a true story (Based on Historical Events, 144 UK) involving familiar Royalty (136 UK), both of which land far above any other theme in driving viewership.

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