US President Donald Trump said he feels “badly” for the royal family amid the continuing fallout over Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s ties to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
It comes as reports claim that Andrew “refused to sign off” on royal statements that supported the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex abuse.
A source close to the King and Queen said the former prince would veto references to abuse victims in all statements since his disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview, blocking the Palace from acknowledging them, according to The Times.
But in the King’s latest statement, in which he stripped Andrew of his royal titles, he made clear his support for survivors in the line: “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
When questioned about the King’s decision to remove Andrew’s prince title, the US president said: “It’s a terrible thing that’s happened to the (royal) family.”
On Thursday, the King took the dramatic decision to officially remove Andrew’s Prince and Duke of York titles and HRH style, following pressure over his ties with Epstein.
Key Points
- Prince Andrew could lose out on most of his compensation for leaving Royal Lodge
- Trump says Prince Andrew being stripped of titles is 'tragic situation' - watch
- King Charles wants Andrew to be stripped of his last remaining military title, minister says
- Where is Sandringham? And who has lived there?
Residents of Prince Andrew’s Road in Hellesdon demand street name change
06:30
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Maroosha Muzaffar
Residents of Prince Andrew’s Road in Hellesdon, near Norwich, want the street renamed after King Charles stripped his brother of royal titles over his Epstein ties.
Councillor Shelagh Gurney said there’s “a kind of misconception” – the road was actually named for Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark.
Some locals like Stacy Baldry told the BBC: “We wouldn’t want any association with the name”, while others, like Valerie Attfield, called changing it “a bit silly”.
“I feel it’s very unfortunate and I’m glad we don’t plan to stay here long-term. We’ll be moving in a couple of years, anyway,” said one resident, Stacy Baldry.
Andrew biographer says ‘more damaging’ material to come
05:30
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Maroosha Muzaffar
Andrew Lownie, the biographer who has spent years researching Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, said that “there’s lots more still to come”.
His book Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York landed just before Andrew’s fall from grace.
Following King Charles’ decision to strip his brother of his royal titles, Lownie said: “I think there’s lots more still to come, lots more, and it will be even more damaging material.”
Timeline of Andrew scandals: From Queen’s favourite to Epstein allegations – and losing his ‘prince’ title
05:00
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Widely purported to have been the late Queen’s ‘favourite’ child, Andrew has suffered a sharp fall from grace over the last decade - with the King now having formally started the process to strip him of all his titles.
Plagued by a string of controversies, the latest development has seen Andrew agree to leave Royal Lodge as his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to cause controversy.
The Palace said he will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
Here, The Independent takes a look at a timeline of Andrew’s fall from grace and his retreat from the public eye:
Prince Andrew could lose out on most of his compensation for leaving Royal Lodge
04:30
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Maroosha Muzaffar
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor may lose out on most of his hefty compensation claim after his exit from Royal Lodge.
The King’s brother, who is set to be evicted from the Windsor mansion after he was stripped of his royal titles earlier this week, is reportedly due to receive a six-figure sum after surrendering his lease.
But sources have told The Telegraph his now-former home is in dire need of repairs and maintenance – and that Andrew may end up out of pocket if costs are deducted from his package.
Andrew has come under fire over the last two weeks after it emerged he had paid a “peppercorn rent” on the property for decades. The former prince is facing scrutiny from the public and his own family over his ties to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein after the release of Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir.
In Andrew’s lease at Royal Lodge, it was agreed he would be paid a “compensatory sum” if he were to move out of the 30-room mansion before 2078. The sum decreases by £185,865 a year until 2028 meaning by moving now, he would have been entitled to £558,000 from the Crown Estate.
Read more here:
Watch: Trump says Prince Andrew being stripped of titles is 'tragic situation'
04:00
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Harriette Boucher
US President Donald Trump feels “badly” for the royal family amid the fallout over Andrew’s ongoing scandal.
“It’s a terrible thing that’s happened to the (royal) family,” Mr Trump told reporters on board Air Force One late on Sunday.
“That’s been a tragic situation. It’s too bad. I feel badly for the family.”
King Charles wants Andrew to be stripped of his last remaining military title, minister says
03:30
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Maroosha Muzaffar
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor will be stripped of his honorary rank of vice-admiral, the defence secretary has announced, which is the disgraced royal’s last remaining military title.
John Healey said his department was “working to remove” the rank, which Andrew was awarded on his 55th birthday in 2015.
He handed back his other honorary military titles in 2022 over his connections with the disgraced paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The honour hit the headlines four years ago following reports he wanted to wear an Admiral’s uniform to the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.
Mr Healey said that ministers had been “guided by the decisions and judgments the King has made”.
Read more here:
Andrew to be stripped of his honorary rank of vice-admiral
03:00
,
Harriette Boucher
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor will be stripped of his honorary rank of vice-admiral, the Defence Secretary has said.
Andrew was made a vice-admiral on his 55th birthday in 2015 and retained the rank after giving up his other military positions in 2022.
John Healey told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “In general, the Government’s been guided by the decisions and judgments the King has made.
“In defence, it’s exactly the same. And we’ve seen Andrew surrender the honorary positions he’s had throughout the military, and guided again by the King, we are working now to remove that last remaining title of vice-admiral that he has.”
Asked whether Andrew could lose his military medals as well, Mr Healey said they were “medals for his service”, and added: “I don’t have an update for you on that, but just as with his vice-admiral rank and title, we would be guided by the decisions the King makes.”
Where is Sandringham? And who has lived there?
02:00
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Harriette Boucher
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has agreed to leave the Royal Lodge and move to Sandringham 'as soon as practicable'
Sandringham is the private home of the last six British monarchs, sits amid parkland, gardens and working farms about 110 miles (180 kilometers) north of London. It has been owned by the royal family since 1862, passing directly from one monarch to the next for more than 160 years.
It was recorded in the Domesday Book, the survey of lands in England compiled by William the Conqueror in 1086, as “Sant Dersingham,” or the sandy part of Dersingham. That was shortened to Sandringham in later years.
Queen Victoria bought Sandringham for her eldest son, Edward, in 1862, largely in hopes that becoming a country gentleman would keep the playboy prince out of trouble in the nightspots of London, Paris, Monte Carlo and Biarritz. The future Edward VII transformed the estate into a modern country retreat to be passed on from one generation to the next.
The monarchs since have inherited it — and loved it. Charles was a fan from a young boy, joining shooting parties in the 1950s, with one photograph catching him blowing a miniature hunting trumpet while sitting on horseback.
Watch: Andrew will be stripped of remaining naval rank, Healey confirms
01:15
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Harriette Boucher
Recap: Jeremy Vine suggests Andrew could end up in a US jail
Monday 3 November 2025 23:30
,
Harriette Boucher
The broadcaster told the BBC that the King’s brother - who denies the allegations against him - no longer had anyone protecting him.
He said Andrew had been “buried alive” and he was “amazed” at the plans to take his last military honour away from him.
“But I wonder whether the Americans will think, ‘okay, we can now go for him’. I would reckon in the next five years he'll be in an American jail.”
He added: “I think they'll start some extradition proceedings on him. Because now he has no protection… That must be a signal to the FBI and others that they can now look into him properly.”
Recap: Prince Andrew could lose out on most of his compensation for leaving Royal Lodge
Monday 3 November 2025 22:30
,
Harriette Boucher
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor may lose out on most of his hefty compensation claim after his exit from Royal Lodge.
The King’s brother, who is set to be evicted from the Windsor mansion after he was stripped of his royal titles earlier this week, is reportedly due to receive a six-figure sum after surrendering his lease.
But sources have told The Telegraph his now-former home is in dire need of repairs and maintenance – and that Andrew may end up out of pocket if costs are deducted from his package.
Timeline of Andrew scandals: From Queen’s favourite to Epstein allegations – and losing his ‘prince’ title
Monday 3 November 2025 21:30
,
Harriette Boucher
Widely purported to have been the late Queen’s ‘favourite’ child, Andrew has suffered a sharp fall from grace over the last decade - with the King now having formally started the process to strip him of all his titles.
Plagued by a string of controversies, the latest development has seen Andrew agree to leave Royal Lodge as his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to cause controversy.
The Palace said he will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
Here, The Independent takes a look at a timeline of Andrew’s fall from grace and his retreat from the public eye.
Did Donald Trump and Andrew know each other?
Monday 3 November 2025 20:30
,
Harriette Boucher
Donald Trump said he feels “badly” for the royal family amid the fallout over Andrew’s connections to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump, who has also faced pressure over his own ties to Epstein, told reporters on Sunday: “It’s a terrible thing that’s happened to the (royal) family.”
In 2019, when asked about sexual abuse allegations against Andrew, the president denied knowing him despite them having met on several occasions, including Trump’s state visit to the UK that year.
Mr Trump said: “I don’t know Prince Andrew, but it’s a tough story, it’s a very tough story.”
A photo from February 2000 shows Trump, his wife, Melania, and Andrew pictured together at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Trump’s comments on Sunday come as members of a US congressional committee ramp up their calls for Andrew to answer questions over his friendship with Epstein.
Watch: ‘Brought down a prince’: Virginia Giuffre’s family reacts to Andrew being stripped of royal title
Monday 3 November 2025 19:30
,
Harriette Boucher
Prince Andrew decision will have been stressful for King, says Charles’s friend
Monday 3 November 2025 18:45
,
Harriette Boucher
King Charles’s friend says stripping Andrew of his “prince” title will have been a “stressful” decision for the monarch to make.
“If this wasn't stressful, he's a human being, nothing would be stressful,” Jonathan Dimbleby, friend and biographer of the King, told BBC Radio 4 on Friday.
Andrew proposed 'catch up' with Epstein months before infamous New York meeting
Monday 3 November 2025 17:30
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Harriette Boucher
Andrew told paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein that it would “be good to catch up in person” months after Epstein was released from prison for prostituting minors.
Unsealed court documents have revealed that in an email in April 2010, following a suggestion from Epstein that the then-prince should meet American banker Jes Staley, Andrew said he would try to “drop by” New York later in the year.
In his disastrous Newsnight interview in 2019, Andrew, when pressed about why he met Epstein in New York in December 2010, said that he wanted to break up their friendship in person because doing it over the phone “was the chicken's way of doing it”.
Watch: Question Time filming halted and audience burst into applause as Andrew news breaks
Monday 3 November 2025 16:29
,
Harriette Boucher
Prince William leaves behind Andrew scandal as he arrives in Rio de Janeiro
Monday 3 November 2025 16:11
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Harriette Boucher
The Prince of Wales has arrived in Rio de Janeiro for a five-day visit to stage his Earthshot Prize and attend the COP30 UN climate change summit.
The visit may be a welcome escape for Prince William, who leaves behind a turbulent time for the royal family as they deal with Andrew’s ongoing scandal around his ties to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
His trip clashes with the Duke of Sussex’s visit to Toronto this week, where he will meet with veterans, members of the armed forces community and military charities before Remembrance Day.
Andrew's car spotted leaving Royal Lodge
Monday 3 November 2025 15:27
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Harriette Boucher
The Duke of York car was seen exiting the Royal Lodge on Monday, following the King’s decision to evict Andrew from the Windsor residence.
The former prince does not appear to be in the vehicle.
Prince Andrew decision will have been stressful for King, says Charles’s friend
Monday 3 November 2025 14:59
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Harriette Boucher
King Charles’s friend says stripping Andrew of his “prince” title will have been a “stressful” decision for the monarch to make.
“If this wasn't stressful, he's a human being, nothing would be stressful,” Jonathan Dimbleby, friend and biographer of the King, told BBC Radio 4 on Friday.
How much will Andrew receive after leaving Royal Lodge?
Monday 3 November 2025 14:55
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Harriette Boucher
Andrew is set to receive a six-figure payment, which will be privately funded by the King, once he vacates Royal Lodge.
He will also be given an ongoing annual stipend, which will be worth several times the value of his £20,000-a-year Navy pension, according to The Guardian.
The newspaper claims that “relocation settlement” is intended to cover his move from Windsor to Sandringham, and the regular payments are designed to prevent him from “overspending in his new life as a commoner”.
Why Gen Z isn’t buying Andrew’s royal exile – and it could mean a way back for Harry
Monday 3 November 2025 14:25
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Harriette Boucher
King Charles’s move to strip Prince Andrew of his titles was meant to restore faith in the monarchy, but for younger generations, steeped in the Epstein era, the gesture feels too little, too late and far from authentic, writes Chloe Combi.
So, where does the royal family go from here?
Watch: Trump says Prince Andrew being stripped of titles is 'tragic situation'
Monday 3 November 2025 13:58
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Harriette Boucher
US President Donald Trump feels “badly” for the royal family amid the fallout over Andrew’s ongoing scandal.
“It’s a terrible thing that’s happened to the (royal) family,” Mr Trump told reporters on board Air Force One late on Sunday.
“That’s been a tragic situation. It’s too bad. I feel badly for the family.”
Recap: Prince Andrew could lose out on most of his compensation for leaving Royal Lodge
Monday 3 November 2025 13:29
,
Harriette Boucher
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor may lose out on most of his hefty compensation claim after his exit from Royal Lodge.
The King’s brother, who is set to be evicted from the Windsor mansion after he was stripped of his royal titles earlier this week, is reportedly due to receive a six-figure sum after surrendering his lease.
But sources have told The Telegraph his now-former home is in dire need of repairs and maintenance – and that Andrew may end up out of pocket if costs are deducted from his package.
How Camilla influenced the King's decision to strip Andrew of his titles
Monday 3 November 2025 12:39
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Harriette Boucher
Queen Camilla is said to have played a part in King Charles’s decision to strip Andrew of his titles, expressing fears that his ties to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein could impact her work with sex abuse victims.
Camilla was said to be appalled by Andrew’s relationship with Epstein and felt the continuous scandal was affecting her ability to carry out public duties, according to The Telegraph.
In a statement to mark the UN Day for the elimination of violence against women in 2020, Camilla said: “Each one of us has a part to play, to do everything in our power to raise awareness, to ‘reach in’ to others, and to support, and be inspired by, those very brave survivors.”
Where will Andrew live on Sandringham Estate?
Monday 3 November 2025 12:28
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Harriette Boucher
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is set to vacate the 30-room Royal Lodge and take up a property on the 8,000-hectare Sandringham Estate.
His move will be funded privately by King Charles and take place “as soon as practicable”
York Cottage
York Cottage, which has previously been used as holiday accommodation or housing for estate employees, is a possible contender for Andrew’s new home.
The property was earmarked for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex before their departure from royal life.
Park House
Andrew’s move to Sandringham may place him in Park House, where the late Princess Diana was born.
Park House was leased to the charity Leonard Cheshire by the late Queen in 1987, which ran it as a hotel for disabled people.
Gardens House
He could also move to Gardens House, the residence that once housed the estate’s head gardener.
It has four bedrooms, three bathrooms and is being used as a holiday let, according to Sandringham’s website.
Andrew arranged a private tour of Buckingham Palace for businessmen from cryptocurrency mining firm
Monday 3 November 2025 11:55
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Harriette Boucher
The BBC has revealed Andrew arranged a private tour of Buckingham Palace for businessmen from cryptocurrency mining firm, Pegasus Group Holdings, which agreed to pay his ex-wife up to £1.4m.
The company employed Sarah Ferguson as a "brand ambassador" for a crypto-mining scheme - which lost investors millions when it failed.
She was reportedly paid more than £200,000 for her work and a leaked contract suggests she was in line for an additional bonus worth £1.2m.
Royal biographer warns ‘there is more to come’ for scandal-hit Andrew
Monday 3 November 2025 11:25
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Harriette Boucher
Watch: Awkward moment Prince Andrew’s standing with his family was laid bare – months before he was stripped of titles and home
Monday 3 November 2025 10:55
,
Harriette Boucher
US lawmakers call for Andrew to reveal what he knew about Epstein
Monday 3 November 2025 10:25
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Harriette Boucher
Pressure for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor to answer questions over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein in the US have intensified after the former prince was stripped of his titles.
Lawmakers in the US have now ramped up their calls for Andrew to hand over information on Epstein’s crimes to a House Oversight Committee, with key figures saying he may even be able to speak to a congressional committee remotely via video link.
Nicole Wootton-Cane and Rebecca Whittaker report:
What next for Beatrice and Eugenie and their grace and favour lifestyle?
Monday 3 November 2025 09:55
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Harriette Boucher
Beatrice likes to talk about AI in Saudi Arabia and Eugenie deals in art – both have rich husbands with good prospects, so why do they both reside in grace-and-favour Crown Estate properties?
It might not be long before more questions are asked about the sisters who get to retain their HRH titles without being working royals, writes Tessa Dunlop.
Did Donald Trump and Andrew know each other?
Monday 3 November 2025 09:15
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Harriette Boucher
Donald Trump said he feels “badly” for the royal family amid the fallout over Andrew’s connections to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump, who has also faced pressure over his own ties to Epstein, told reporters on Sunday: “It’s a terrible thing that’s happened to the (royal) family.”
In 2019, when asked about sexual abuse allegations against Andrew, the president denied knowing him despite them having met on several occasions, including Trump’s state visit to the UK that year.
Mr Trump said: “I don’t know Prince Andrew, but it’s a tough story, it’s a very tough story.”
A photo from February 2000 shows Trump, his wife, Melania, and Andrew pictured together at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Trump’s comments on Sunday come as members of a US congressional committee ramp up their calls for Andrew to answer questions over his friendship with Epstein.
Andrew to be stripped of his honorary rank of vice-admiral
Monday 3 November 2025 08:55
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Harriette Boucher
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor will be stripped of his honorary rank of vice-admiral, the Defence Secretary has said.
Andrew was made a vice-admiral on his 55th birthday in 2015 and retained the rank after giving up his other military positions in 2022.
John Healey told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “In general, the Government’s been guided by the decisions and judgments the King has made.
“In defence, it’s exactly the same. And we’ve seen Andrew surrender the honorary positions he’s had throughout the military, and guided again by the King, we are working now to remove that last remaining title of vice-admiral that he has.”
Asked whether Andrew could lose his military medals as well, Mr Healey said they were “medals for his service”, and added: “I don’t have an update for you on that, but just as with his vice-admiral rank and title, we would be guided by the decisions the King makes.”