Former President Donald Trump has publicly expressed his sympathy for the British Royal Family following the decision to strip Prince Andrew of his royal titles. The dramatic move by King Charles III last week saw Andrew, the King’s brother, lose his designation as a Prince and his Duke of York title, effectively removing him as a working member of the royal family. He will now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
The decision is the culmination of years of scandal surrounding Andrew’s association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The situation intensified with the recent publication of a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who accused the former royal of sexual abuse. In her book, Giuffre alleged she was paid to have sex with Andrew when she was 17, a claim he has consistently and strongly denied. Although Andrew settled a civil case with Giuffre out of court for a reported $15 million, he admitted no wrongdoing.
When asked for his thoughts on the matter while traveling, Trump offered a brief but sympathetic response. “It’s a terrible thing that has happened to the family,” the former president stated. “That’s been a tragic situation. It’s too bad. I feel badly for the family.” His comments focused on the collective impact on the monarchy rather than on the specific allegations against Andrew.
In addition to losing his titles, Andrew is also being relocated from his Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge. Buckingham Palace issued a statement confirming the actions, noting they were “deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.” The palace also extended its “utmost sympathies” to the victims and survivors of abuse. Andrew is expected to move to privately funded accommodation on the Sandringham Estate.
