Prince Andrew's surprising parting words to BBC interviewer

When Prince Andrew gave a tell-all interview to Emily Maitlis, he never could have anticipated the backlash that would follow, as proven by his parting words to her.

Maitlis met with the royal at Buckingham Palace to film the interview for BBC, covering Andrew's connection to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and the accusations made against the royal by one of Epstein's victims.

Despite the serious subject matter, the Duke of York seemed quite positive after filming had ended and even low-key invited Maitlis back to the palace.

Writing for The Times, Maitlis recalled Andrew's parting words: "Next time you come, we will talk about Pitch at the Palace."

"It nods to the fact he feels he will now get on with the work he loves," the reporter adds.

Yet since the interview aired on Saturday night, it has been made clear that Prince Andrew won't be returning to a drama-free life of royal duties and charity causes any time soon.

Andrew's appearance was branded 'a train wreck' and widely criticised by royal experts and PR gurus alike, with reports several royal advisors told him not to go ahead with it.

The backlash was swift and severe, has left Maitlis certain she won't be returning to Buckingham Palace any time soon.

"I probably shouldn't wait by the phone," she wrote of the Duke's invitation.

During the interview, Andrew claimed that he had "no recollection" of Epstein's victim, Virginia Roberts, who has accused him of having sex with her while she was underage.

He also told Maitlis he was never very close with Epstein, and that the American had behaved in a "manner unbecoming."

"Unbecoming?" Maitlis retorted. "He was a sex offender."

Though Andrew was clearly hoping to turn his focus away from the Epstein scandal and return to his work on causes such as Pitch at the Palace, the damning interview has affected that program as well.

Here in Australia, Bond University has distanced itself from the royal by choosing not to renew its agreement with Pitch at the Palace Australia, effectively cutting any ties to the royal.