The ongoing controversy surrounding Andrew Mountbatten Windsor's ties to the infamous financier and convicted pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, has elicited sympathy from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump expressed his regret over the scandal that has engulfed the royal family. "It's a terrible thing that's happened to the (royal) family," Trump said. "That's been a tragic situation. It's too bad. I feel badly for the family."
According to the Daily Mail, the fallout from Andrew's association with Epstein has led to significant changes in his royal status. Last week, Buckingham Palace announced that Andrew would no longer bear the title of prince and would be leaving the Royal Lodge.
The palace stated that these "censures are deemed necessary" due to the ongoing scandal surrounding Epstein, whom Andrew had falsely claimed to have severed ties with.
The repercussions of Andrew's actions have extended to his military honors as well. Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed that Andrew would be stripped of his honorary rank of vice-admiral, which he received on his 55th birthday in 2015. This was his last remaining honorary military title, as he had returned the others in 2022 due to the Epstein scandal. Despite these setbacks, Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
The Ministry of Defence is currently deliberating whether Andrew will retain the rank of commander, which he earned during his active military service, or lose his naval rank entirely. Andrew's Duke of York title has already been removed from the Roll of Peerages. Andrew's association with the Royal Navy began in 1979 when he started officer training at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. He served as a helicopter pilot and was part of the task force deployed to retake the Falklands following the Argentinian invasion in 1982. His active naval career ended in 2001 with the rank of commander, but he later received honorary promotions, including to vice-admiral in 2015.
The allegations against Andrew include claims of sexual assault by the late Virginia Giuffre, who alleged that she was trafficked by Epstein and assaulted by Andrew on three occasions, including when she was 17. Trump himself has had connections with Epstein, which were examined by the British political campaign group Led By Donkeys in a film projected onto Windsor Castle ahead of his state visit in September.
Pressure is mounting on Andrew to testify before a powerful US Congressional committee. Members of the House Oversight Committee have called for the former prince to reveal what he knew about Epstein's actions. Andrew's departure from the Royal Lodge, where he paid a nominal rent for over 20 years, comes amid an ongoing dispute over the residence since his dukedom title was stripped last month.
Andrew is expected to move to a property on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, although the specifics of the relocation are still unknown. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will make her own living arrangements after leaving the royal grounds of Windsor Castle. The decision to move Andrew was made solely by the King and his advisers, without pressure from the government or other family members, such as Prince William, sources told the Daily Mail.
Despite the mounting evidence against him, Andrew has shown a "startling lack of contrition" and continues to resist the process, sources said. His Majesty has made it clear that he will not hesitate to take "further action" if Andrew continues to cling to his dukedom and other honors after lying about cutting ties with Epstein.
The controversy surrounding Andrew has been further fueled by the posthumous memoir of his sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre, who took her own life this year at the age of 41. The book, titled "Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice," details her years as a sex slave to Epstein and his British madam Ghislaine Maxwell. In the book, Giuffre alleges that Andrew viewed sex as his "birthright" and thanked her in a "clipped British accent" after their alleged first encounter when she was 17.
In the wake of the Giuffre scandal, Andrew is facing a private prosecution over allegations of sexual assault, corruption, and misconduct in public office. The anti-monarchy campaign group Republic has instructed lawyers to investigate the prince and, if appropriate, press ahead with legal proceedings.
The allegations focus on claims that he sexually assaulted Giuffre, asked a royal protection officer to look into her background, and acted improperly when he served as an official UK trade envoy.
Giuffre's family continues to fight for justice in her name. Her brother Skye and sister-in-law Amanda said, "Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage. Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her. Today, she declares victory. We, her family, along with her survivor sisters, continue Virginia's battle and will not rest until the same accountability applies to all of the abusers and abettors connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell."
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