The website of the UK's Price Andrew (thedukeofyork.org) has been taken down and it directs visitors to the Duke’s page on the Royal Family’s website, which contains a link to his statement of resignation from public roles over his “ill-judged association” with infamous American financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The Archived versions of the prince’s website suggests that it was functioning until 11 May and might have been subject to removal during the period from 11 May to 3 July, according to Newsweek Magazine.
“The contract with the host provider of The Duke of York’s website (www.thedukeofyork.org) came to an end and has not been renewed,” a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said in a statement to the publication. “The website has been redirected to The Duke of York's page on the Royal website.”
The spokesperson noted, "The website was maintained by The Duke of York’s office."
Online records of the website reportedly suggest that it was set to expire on 22 February 2021.
The Duke’s page on the royal family site, titled “About The Duke of York”, states in the first line: “In November 2019, His Royal Highness The Duke of York stepped back from his public duties for the foreseeable future.” There's link to his resignation statement, where he addresses “my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein”.
“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,” Prince Andrew wrote in the statement.
During a November 2019 interview on BBC, after which the prince resigned from public roles, the royal said that he did not regret befriending the known sexual abuser Epstein, who died in mysterious circumstances in a New York jail in August of that year while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The Duke of York has been accused by at least one of financier’s victims, Virginia Giuffre, of having sex with her twice, in 2001 and 2002 while she was 17 years old. Giuffree's accusations were taken in testimony under oath and the 60-year-old royal has consistently denied the allegations. The Duke has since refused to offer his testimony about his ties with the late high-profile paedophile.
In May, the US Department of Justice filed a mutual legal assistance (MLA) request to the UK Home Office to interview Prince Andrew in Epstein’s case.
