Elizabeth Banks draws gasps with savage Prince Andrew joke

Director Elizabeth Banks shocked Kylie Minogue and Ricky Gervais on The Graham Norton Show this week with her offhand quip aimed at disgraced British royal, Prince Andrew.

The prince has become embroiled in the controversy surrounding deceased billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who died in August after being arrested for sex trafficking minors.

The Duke of York, 59, allegedly had sex with Epstein's 17-year-old "sex slave" Virginia Roberts in 2001. He has vehemently denied the accusations, saying he has no recollection of meeting her - despite a photo of the two suggesting otherwise. 

Following reports that a disappointed Queen Elizabeth II has cancelled her son's upcoming 60th birthday party due to the scandal, Charlie's Angels' director Elizabeth Banks, 45, has taken it upon herself to continue fuelling the fire. 

Nestled on Graham Norton's prestigious red couch, the chat show host presented Banks with an old photo of herself, clad in hoop earrings and a homemade necklace.

Norton drew attention to a hand resting on Banks' shoulder in the picture.

"This is someone saying, 'You'll regret this photo - move'," Norton jokes.

Banks quickly retorts: "That's Prince Andrew's hand".

Fellow guest Kylie Minogue looked visibly shocked by her response while English comedian Ricky Gervais laughed hysterically.

"Photoshopped, it's photoshopped," Norton jumps in, referencing the suggestion by Prince Andrew's supporters that the photo of him and his accuser could be fake.

The scandal continues as the prince deals with the fallout from his controversial interview with BBC Newsnight about his connection to Epstein. 

The episode will air on Three on Friday.