Prince Andrew is taking a “step back” from his royal duties after a controversial interview about his relationship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The Duke of York had a less-than-flattering interviewing discussing his interactions with Epstein which led to plenty of backlash.
“It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support,” the Duke of York said in a statement. “Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.
“I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure. I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.”
A statement by His Royal Highness The Duke of York KG. pic.twitter.com/LfMFwMyhcb
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) November 20, 2019
Just 24 hours prior to the disgraced financier and convicted pedophile being found dead in his Manhattan jail cell, court documents were unsealed that named a bunch of powerful and wealthy men including a prince and multiple politicians. There is also the fact that prison guards did not check on Epstein every 30 minutes on the night of his death despite that being a requirement.
Epstein had also recently been taken off of suicide watch, while his cellmate was transferred in the days prior to his death.
While we wait for answers, Attorney General William Barr has stated that multiple investigations have been launched as the Department of Justice attempts to get to the bottom of how Epstein passed away. Most recently, two prison guards who were on duty on the night of Epstein’s death have been indicted for falsifying records.