Pressure mounts on Prince Andrew as English National Ballet joins big names to rethink ties after interview on Jeffrey Epstein

Prince Andrew has been dealt further blows after the English National Ballet and three Australian universities became the latest organisations to rethink their ties to the duke.

The London-based ballet has reportedly joined a growing list of institutions to lobby for the Duke of York to stand down as its patron, over fears association with him could damage their own standing.

He is a patron of - or has official roles with - more than 200 charities, 24 of which focus primarily on children or young people.

But as the fallout from his “car-crash” BBC Newsnight interview continues - in which he defended his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein - many are distancing themselves from the duke, or severing ties completely.

Emily Maitlis sits down with Prince Andrew for an interview on the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
BBC/ Mark Harrington

Explaining trustees’ concern over continued association with the duke, an English Ballet source told The Times: “Everyone is hoping that it can be resolved without requiring collective discussion.

“But at some point it will require that discussion if he does not stand down. The trouble is he has a thick skin and I am sure he would be reluctant to.”

Andrew was widely accused of showing a lack of empathy towards Epstein's alleged teenage victims during Saturday’s televised interview, as well as a a lack of remorse over his friendship with the disgraced financier, who took his own life while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

In the interview, the duke also denied claims he slept with Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's alleged “sex slaves”, on three separate occasions, twice while she was underage.

The controversy has since swept across the world, with Australia’s Bond University, the University of Wollongong (UoW) and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) among the latest organisations to scrap affiliation with Andrew.

All three institutions are currently listed as partners to the duke’s overseas entrepreneurial initiatives, Pitch@Palace Australia.

The universities have either ended their relationship with Pitch@Palace Australia or would not be continuing it in the future, they confirmed to the Press Association.

A Bond spokeswoman said: "We have previously said any new agreement would be considered in 2020. However, in light of recent events, the university does not intend to seek any further involvement."

A spokesman for Perth's Murdoch University, which is also listed online as a partner, said it was "currently reviewing its support of the Pitch @ Palace event in 2020".

Pitch@Palace Australia did not respond to queries about its ongoing operation in the absence of partners.

Pitch@Palace is the prince's flagship mentoring scheme for tech start-ups and entrepreneurs
PA

It comes after two more corporate sponsors joined accountancy giant KPMG in withdrawing its support from Pitch@Palace, which is the duke’s main charitable project.

Standard Chartered bank said that its agreement with the scheme would expire next month and was being ended for “commercial reasons”.

The insurance company Aon also backed out, with pharmaceutical conglomerate Astrazeneca currently reviewing its three-year partnership with Pitch@Palace, which is due to expire at the end of this year.

Barclays bank recently renewed its sponsorship of the initiative, but is understood to be keeping a close eye on the situation.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre previously accused Prince Andrew in an interview broadcast on US network NBC
NBC

Meanwhile, the Australian universities are not the only ones to turn away from the duke.

London Metropolitan University said that its governors would meet next Tuesday to consider his role as patron, hours after students at Huddersfield University passed a motion calling for Andrew to resign as its chancellor.

And while Buckingham Palace insiders previously said there was “absolutely no question” the duke would be forced to scale back on his royal duties, it has emerged that he pulled out of a trip to flood-hit South Yorkshire on Monday.

In a visit planned a week ago, he was due to see Army operations and a clear-up in Stainforth and Fishlake, the Sun reported.

But it was discreetly called-off, with friends telling the paper he was “downcast” and was terrified about being booed by members of the public.

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Amid the unravelling of the duke's position, former home secretary Jacqui Smith made fresh claims of racism, saying Andrew made "racist comments about Arabs that were unbelievable" at a Buckingham Palace state banquet.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said in response to the claim: "HRH has undertaken a considerable amount of work in the Middle East over a period of years and has many friends from the region.

"He does not tolerate racism in any form."

He added that Andrew would be continuing his role focusing on tech entrepreneurs.

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