Donald Trump has said he feels “badly” for the Royal Family after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his titles – as it emerged he could also be stripped of his honorary rank of vice admiral.
Speaking to reporters on board Air Force One, the US president was asked about his thoughts on the King’s decision to strip his brother of his peerages in the wake of further disclosures about his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
“It’s a terrible thing that’s happened to the family,” Mr Trump said. “That’s been a tragic situation. It’s too bad. I feel badly for the family.”
The King’s brother was stripped of his prince and Duke of York titles by the monarch over his links to Epstein on Thursday.
He lost his last remaining royal titles and privileges following the posthumous publication of a memoir by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims.
She had accused Andrew of sexual assault and sued him in August 2021. The case was settled outside court for a sum believed to have been around £12m.
Andrew has denied allegations of sexual assault made by Ms Giuffre, and has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing.
Ms Giuffre, who took her own life earlier this year, claimed that – as a teenager – she had sex with Andrew on three occasions after being trafficked by billionaire paedophile Epstein and his ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.
Andrew has always denied the allegations.
Ms Giuffre’s family hailed the King’s decision to remove Andrew’s titles, saying: “An ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.”
Mr Trump has also come under pressure over his ties to Epstein. After the financier’s death in 2019, the US president downplayed their relationship and said he had “no idea” about Epstein’s crimes.
Read more: All we know about Trump and Epstein’s ‘friendship’
Donald Trump was asked about Andrew losing his titles while on Air Force One. Pic: AP
Andrew could lose vice admiral rank – Healey
It comes after Defence Secretary John Healey told Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that the former prince could be stripped of his honorary rank of vice admiral
Andrew was made a vice admiral on his 55th birthday in 2015 and retained the rank even after giving up his other military positions in 2022.
He had a career spanning more than 20 years in the Royal Navy, and served in the Falklands War.
Mr Healey told Sky News: “We’ve seen Andrew surrender the military positions that he’s had and we’re looking now at the one remaining position he has, which is the honorary vice admiral position and, we’ve got a process underway for that.”
Asked what that process is, he said: “We’re being guided by the King and we’re now looking to remove.”
Pic: Reuters
Mr Healey was also asked if the government would legislate to remove Andrew from the line of succession.
He said that is a “matter for the King” but his personal view is “it’s neither here nor there” as Andrew has lost all other of his royal titles.
Meanwhile, Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative Party chairman, told Trevor Phillips: “Andrew’s 8th in line to succession of the monarchy.
“Parliament’s got many better things to do than to legislate for something that will never happen.”
Now simply known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor after losing his titles, he will move from Royal Lodge to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk – with his future accommodation to be privately funded by the monarch.
Could Andrew face US Congress?
Pressure is now building on Andrew to give evidence before a powerful US Congressional committee.
The House Oversight Committee is investigating the Epstein affair, and several of its members have invited Andrew to come and give evidence, presenting it as an opportunity to clear his name.
Royal biographer Andrew Morton said he believes there “are more revelations to come” about Epstein from the committee.
He told Sky News: “Given the fact that Andrew hasn’t been fully comprehensive in his admissions and emails have emerged which go further than his Newsnight interview, I think that will be the fear inside the palace.”
Read more from Sky News:
Passenger tells of panic during train knife attack
Can William drag attention away from Andrew during Brazil visit?
Two Louvre heist suspects ‘convicted over theft in 2015’
In a 2019 interview with Newsnight, Andrew claimed that he cut off contact with Epstein in 2010 following his release from jail for prostituting minors.
However, emails released since suggest they stayed in touch for longer.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source news.sky.com ’
