US President Donald Trump has expressed sympathy for Britain’s royal family after King Charles III formally stripped his younger brother, Prince Andrew, of his final title and ordered him to vacate his Windsor residence due to his ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump said: “It’s a terrible thing that’s happened to the family. That’s been a tragic situation, and it’s too bad. I mean, I feel badly for the family.”
Buckingham palace’s action
Buckingham Palace announced last week that Prince Andrew will now be known as *Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor* and has been formally notified to surrender the lease of his Royal Lodge mansion on the Windsor Estate. He is expected to move into private accommodation on the Sandringham Estate in eastern England.
The UK government has also confirmed plans to revoke Andrew’s honorary title of Vice-Admiral, his final military rank. Defence Minister John Healey said, “We’ve seen Andrew surrender the honorary positions he’s had throughout the military. Guided again by the King, we are working now to remove that last remaining title of vice-admiral.”
Renewed scrutiny over Epstein links
Andrew’s association with Epstein dates back to 1999, when he was introduced to the financier by Ghislaine Maxwell. Despite Epstein’s 2008 conviction for procuring a minor for prostitution, Andrew continued to associate with him, and photographs showed the two together in New York in 2010. Recently released emails revealed Andrew writing to Epstein that it would be “good to catch up in person,” contradicting his earlier claims of severing ties.
The renewed controversy follows the publication of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir and reports of Andrew’s rent-free arrangement at Royal Lodge. Giuffre, Epstein’s main accuser, alleged she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, including when she was 17 — claims he has repeatedly denied.
Trump’s past association
Trump himself has also faced scrutiny over his past ties to Epstein, with lawmakers from both parties calling for the release of government files linked to the financier. The president has acknowledged knowing Epstein socially but said they had a falling out years before Epstein’s 2019 death in a New York jail while awaiting trial on charges of sexually abusing minors.
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