US President Donald Trump expressed his sympathy for the UK royal family on Sunday following the decision by King Charles III to strip his brother Andrew of his prince title due to his controversial associations with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“I feel very badly. It’s a terrible situation for the family,” Trump remarked when an AFP reporter inquired about the unfolding events while he was aboard Air Force One.
“It’s a tragic situation, and it’s unfortunate. I feel sorry for the family,” he added.
At 79 years old, Trump has dealt with his own challenges in recent months regarding alleged connections to Epstein, the New York financier who passed away in prison in 2019.
These remarks from Trump coincided with the announcement from the British government regarding plans to revoke the former prince’s honorary title of vice-admiral, which is his last military rank.
The American president has often shown admiration for the British monarchy, especially noted during his state visit hosted by Charles in September.
During that state visit, Trump enjoyed a grand dinner at Windsor Castle, complete with military parades and a flyover.
However, the allegations surrounding Epstein have been a significant point of contention affecting Trump’s second term, as he was known to be a long-time associate of Epstein.
In July, the Trump administration reported that no new evidence had been uncovered that would warrant the release of further documents or the initiation of a new inquiry into Epstein’s case.
Epstein died while awaiting trial for charges related to the trafficking of underage girls who were allegedly recruited to provide him with sexual services.
Conspiracy theories
While authorities deemed his death a suicide, it has given rise to numerous conspiracy theories among Trump’s supporters, suggesting he was killed to prevent him from naming influential individuals.
The Republican leader has consistently refuted any links to the Epstein case, labeling it as a “hoax” orchestrated by opposing Democrats.
Andrew’s connections to Epstein have incited increasing outrage within the UK.
On Thursday, King Charles removed all remaining royal titles and honors from his younger brother, as well as expelling him from his long-time residence on the Windsor estate.
Defence Minister John Healey informed the BBC on Sunday that “under the king’s guidance, we are currently working to eliminate that last title of vice-admiral he holds.”
Previously, Andrew had already lost other honorary military titles after a lawsuit was filed against him by Virginia Giuffre, who has been a primary accuser in the Epstein scandal.
The king’s younger brother was previously celebrated for his service as a Royal Navy helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands War, retiring in 2001 after 22 years of duty.
Andrew has persistently denied the allegations of sexual abuse made by Giuffre, who stated in her posthumously published memoir that she was trafficked to engage in sexual acts with him on three occasions, including twice when she was just 17 years old.