• by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, August 21, 2023

The word “secrets” is a great word for TV shows and advertising. 

It is a powerful word whose effectiveness has been proven over and over again.

It indicates -- indeed, it promises -- that secrets closely held by others will be spilled just for you.

It's no wonder that A&E is using the word in the titles for a group of docuseries on salacious subjects.

The one coming up this week is the second in the series -- “Secrets of Prince Andrew.” The first one, “Secrets of Playboy,” is already on its second season. Also coming soon: “Secrets of Penthouse” and “Secrets of Miss America.”

By their nature, these docuseries might not be as chock full of actual secrets as their titles indicate. 

For the most part, they are derived from the record that is already out there -- from news reports, books and previous docuseries on the same subjects.

For example, the above photo of Prince Andrew is from one of the other ones -- “Prince Andrew: Banished” -- showing on Peacock. 

But series of this type -- be they profiles of serial killers or wayward princes – sometimes have something we have not heard before. 

Where “Secrets of Prince Andrew” is concerned, TV docuseries on the British royals are hard to resist for just about everybody.

Why Prince Andrew? Because he is accused of engaging in the sexual activities that were part of the secret, inner life of the late, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Epstein committed suicide in a Manhattan jail in August 2019 as he faced numerous charges for sex trafficking, including underage girls.

Some of the girls, now grown to adulthood, have accused the prince of having sex with them when they were underage.

As a result, he has become a scandal figure and an embarrassment to the royal family. In a nutshell, this is what the series is about.

The show focuses on the story of Prince Andrew’s life but also delves into the TV interview he did in 2019 with the BBC’s Emily Maitlis on the subject of his relationship with Epstein and the accusations leveled at him.

The palace was reportedly so displeased with the interview that Andrew resigned from his royal duties and responsibilities soon after.

Much of the show is taken up with the evolution of the interview from its inception as an idea to its actual broadcast on BBC’s “Newsnight” on November 16, 2019, and the fallout afterward.

From Princess Diana to Harry and Meghan, and now Prince Andrew, the British royal family is the gift that keeps on giving for TV channels and streamers around the globe, with no end in sight.

“Secrets of Prince Andrew” premieres Monday (August 21) at 8 p.m. Eastern on A&E.

Photo of Prince Andrew courtesy of Peacock, from “Prince Andrew: Banished.”