Donald Trump breaks silence on Andrew Royal chaos with 23-word assertion

Donald Trump declared he feels “badly” for the Royal family following the ongoing controversy surrounding Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Addressing journalists aboard Air Force One late on Sunday, the US president was questioned about the King’s choice to remove his brother’s peerages and princely title.

“It’s a terrible thing that’s happened to the (royal) family,” Mr Trump remarked. “That’s been a tragic situation. It’s too bad. I feel badly for the family.”

Earlier that Sunday, Defence Secretary John Healey verified that Andrew would lose his honorary vice-admiral rank, which was bestowed upon him for his 55th birthday in 2015.

This rank represents his final remaining honorary military position after he surrendered the others in 2022 due to the Epstein controversy.

The Defence Secretary declined to discuss whether Andrew could retain his medals, including the campaign medal earned for his Falklands War service, but stated the Ministry of Defence would be “guided by the decisions the King makes”.

Ministry of Defence insiders revealed they were investigating whether Andrew would return to his commander rank, attained during active military duty, or whether he would forfeit his naval status entirely.

Andrew’s Duke of York title has already been struck from the Roll of Peerages. Andrew has maintained connections with the Royal Navy since 1979, when he commenced officer training at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. He later worked as a helicopter pilot and formed part of the military unit sent to reclaim the Falklands after Argentina’s invasion in 1982.

His active service in the Royal Navy concluded in 2001 when he held the rank of commander, though he subsequently received ceremonial promotions including his elevation to vice-admiral in 2015.

The former prince denies sexually assaulting the late Virginia Giuffre, who alleged this happened on three occasions, including when she was 17, after being trafficked by Epstein.

Mr Trump also had ties with Epstein, which British political campaign group Led By Donkeys explored in a film beamed onto Windsor Castle before his state visit in September.

The nine-minute documentary detailed Mr Trump’s associations with the convicted paedophile, including the publication by US politicians of papers reportedly containing a letter from Mr Trump to Epstein marking his 50th birthday.

The footage was screened from a hotel room overlooking the castle as an act of “peaceful protest,” a spokesperson for the campaign group explained in September.

Four men detained in connection with the incident were freed without charges. Meanwhile, mounting pressure surrounds Andrew to provide testimony to an influential US Congressional committee. Representatives from the House Oversight Committee have demanded the former prince disclose what he understood about Epstein’s activities.

For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.