Donald Trump breaks silence on Andrew, former prince, being stripped of royal titles
US President Donald Trump has weighed in on King Charles’ decision to formally strip his brother Andrew of his remaining royal titles and evict him from the Royal Lodge.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday, Mr Trump said he “feels badly” for the Royal Family.
“I feel very badly, I mean, it’s a terrible thing that’s happened to the family,” he said.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“That’s been a tragic situation, and it’s too bad. I feel badly for the family.”
Andrew, who used to hold the title of ‘prince’, will now be known as Mr Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
“His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew,” the statement read.
“His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence.
“Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation.
“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.
“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”.
Andrew gave up his other royal titles earlier this month, including the Duke of York, amid growing scrutiny over his connection with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
The controversy surrounding Andrew has intensified following sexual abuse allegations detailed in Virginia Giuffre’s posthumously published memoir.
Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, alleged she had sex with Andrew three times as a teenager, something he has repeatedly denied.
During his 2024 presidential election campaign, Mr Trump made headlines by promising to declassify the so-called Epstein files, a trove of documents tied to the disgraced financier’s sex trafficking network.
“I guess I would,” he told Fox News, before quickly backtracking. “I think that less so because you don’t want to affect people’s lives if it’s phony stuff in there, because it’s a lot of phony stuff with that whole world. But I think I would.”
Once he took office, Mr Trump appointed leaders of the Justice Department and FBI who promised to get to the bottom of the Epstein investigation.
Yet, in July 2025, the Department of Justice announced it would not release further documents, which sparked outrage among Mr Trump’s supporters, many of whom had been led to believe that a “client list” would be made public.
Mr Trump’s own relationship with Epstein has long been a subject of public interest.
The two were photographed together numerous times in the 1990s and early 2000s, including at Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, where Epstein was a frequent guest.
