Donald Trump feels ‘badly’ for UK royal family over Andrew-Epstein saga, says ‘terrible situation’

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he felt “badly” for the British royal family after King Charles III stripped his brother, Prince Andrew, of his royal title due to his controversial association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“I feel very badly. I mean, it's a terrible thing that's happened to the family,” Trump said when asked by an AFP reporter aboard Air Force One about the recent saga.

“That's been a tragic situation, and it's too bad. I mean, I feel badly for the family.”

Trump, 79, has recently been dealing with political troubles linked to his alleged connection with Jeffrey Epstein, the New York financier who died in prison in 2019.

His remarks came as the British government announced plans to revoke the former prince, now referred to as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, of his honorary title of vice-admiral, his final remaining military position.

The US president has often voiced his admiration for the British royal family, most notably during King Charles’s state visit in September.

Trump received a full state dinner at Windsor Castle, military parades and a flyover during the visit.

But the so-called Epstein files have been the focal point of a controversy engulfing the second presidency of Trump, who was a longtime friend of Epstein.

In July, the Trump administration announced that it had found no new evidence to justify releasing additional documents or opening a new investigation into the matter.

Epstein died while awaiting trial for alleged sex trafficking of underage girls recruited to provide him with sexual massages.

Conspiracy theories

Authorities determined Epstein's death to be a suicide, but it has sparked numerous conspiracy theories, especially among Trump’s supporters, suggesting he was killed to stop him from exposing powerful individuals.

Republican Trump has consistently denied any connection to the Epstein scandal, labelling it a “hoax” orchestrated by his Democratic opponents.

In the U.K., former Prince Andrew's association with Epstein has continued to provoke widespread public outrage.

Charles, on Thursday, removed all his younger brother's remaining royal titles and honours and ousted him from his long-term residence on the Windsor estate.

Defence minister John Healey told the BBC on Sunday that “guided again by the king, we are working now to remove that last remaining title of vice-admiral that he has.”

Andrew was stripped of his other honorary military titles by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022 after he was sued by Virginia Giuffre, Epstein's main accuser.

The king's younger brother was once feted for his role as a Royal Navy helicopter pilot in the 1982 Falklands War. He retired in 2001 after 22 years of service.

Andrew has always denied that he sexually abused Giuffre, who said in her posthumous memoir published in October that she was trafficked to have sex with him on three occasions, twice when she was just 17.

(With inputs from agencies)