When Trump Said He Doesn’t Know Prince Andrew but Their Photos Together Told a Different Story

Former US President Donald Trump’s statement claiming he did not know Britain’s Prince Andrew raised eyebrows back then, especially considering the numerous pictures of them together attending various events. Trump made these remarks during a press appearance in London, where he denied any personal acquaintance with the Duke of York, despite evidence suggesting otherwise. Trump infamously said, “I don’t know Prince Andrew, but it’s a tough story. I don’t know him, no."

During his state visit to the UK in June 2019, Trump was photographed alongside Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew also tweeted, “On Day 2 of the #USStateVisit, The Duke of York & Prime Minister @TheresaMay welcome President Donald Trump @POTUS to St James’s Palace for a UK/US Senior Business Leaders Group Breakfast Meeting.” Additionally, a picture from 2000 shows Trump with Prince Andrew at his Mar-a-Lago resort, accompanied by Melania Trump.

Moreover, Trump has also made several comments about Prince Andrew that contradict his recent denial. In a 2000 interview, Trump reportedly asserted, “He’s not pretentious. He’s a lot of fun to be with.” An insider also observed, “They seemed like coconspirators—talking, laughing, and enjoying the party. They were together the entire evening.”

The controversy surrounding Prince Andrew originates from allegations made by Virginia Guffre, previously known as Virginia Robers, who accused Jeffrey Epstein of sex crimes and also claimed that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17. Guffre revealed, “I’d just been abused by a member of the royal family. These powerful people were my chains. I implore the people in the U.K. to stand up beside me, to help me fight this fight, to not accept this as being ok. This is not some sordid sex story. This is a story of being trafficked, this is a story of abuse and this is a story of your guys’ royalty.”

Buckingham Palace has however, vehemently denied Giuffre's accusations, stating that the Duke of York had no sexual contact or relationship with her. They said, “It is emphatically denied that The Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation.”

Despite these denials, the scandal significantly tarnished Prince Andrew's reputation, forcing him to step back from his royal duties after a disastrous television interview where he attempted to defend his friendship with Epstein. Following the incident, in 2022, the palace released another statement stating that “With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen. The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”