Trump's fate in Epstein scandal decided, says Prince Andrew biographer
The new explosive book about Prince Andrew could potentially have implications reaching as far as the White House.
Andrew Lownie's latest work, The Rise and Fall of the House of York, dedicates a whole chapter to the paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
Lownie suggests that Andrew's connection with Epstein was the royal's downfall. In 2022, the Duke of York - the youngest son of the late Queen Elizabeth - faced US civil proceedings over sexual assault allegations, which led to his military honours and Royal patronages being "returned to the monarch". It comes as Royal couple secretly welcome second baby and reveal tot's adorable name.
Andrew also agreed to stop using his Royal Highness title and ceased all public duties.
However, Trump might escape the same fate as the disgraced Duke of York, Mr Lownie tells Express US in an interview, reports the Express.
Prince Andrew and Trump
Epstein was the cause of Prince Andrew's downfall, says the biographer.
In relation to Andrew's ties with Epstein, Lownie revealed that the Royal Family are still fearful of future disclosures. When asked about Andrew's alleged ongoing worries, Lownie agreed, saying: "Yes, and so does the rest of the Royal Family."
Prince Andrew and Trump were once connected, or at least on friendly terms, as they were pictured together at a Mar-A-Lago event on February 12, 2000, where Epstein and Maxwell were also in attendance.
Trump adamantly claimed in 2019 that he didn't "know Prince Andrew" - despite the enduring photograph from that occasion. We asked Lownie about their relationship and whether Trump did, in fact, know Andrew.
'Trump was partying'
The author confirmed, "Yes, there's photographic evidence of them together."
However, Lownie isn't certain if a friendship ever blossomed despite the Duke and the future president's close proximity. Lownie clarified: "I'm not aware of a relationship, I mean, there's no reason for them to continue a relationship, that was when Andrew was partying in the States, and Trump was partying."
Lownie added: "Maybe on official terms, a few years ago, Andrew did show Trump around to various places in London on a tour because he knew him.
"Trump will get away with it, as he always does".
Outrage erupted
When asked if the same fate fall from grace was in store for Trump as Prince Andrew and if it could be the source of the President's downfall, Lownie responded: "No, I think Trump will get away with it, as he always does."
Outrage erupted across America after Trump reneged on a campaign pledge to release all government documents relating to Epstein. Numerous observers have highlighted how the promise was abandoned following Elon Musk's assertion that the president's name featured in the files.
The Epstein scandal, six years after his prison cell suicide, has rocked Trump's MAGA fan base, sparking internal strife with many withdrawing their support and even burning their red 'Make America Great Again' caps.
Neither Trump nor Prince Andrew have been implicated in any criminal activity by law enforcement in relation to Epstein, nor have they ever been identified as the subject of an investigation connected to Epstein.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Donald Trump sparks horror fears for Ukraine as Putin demands land grab to end war
The Prime Minister, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will host the coalition of the willing on Sunday afternoon as Putin set the Donbas as his price for peace Sir Keir Starmer is set to meet with European allies on Sunday, amidst whispers that Donald Trump is in favour of a Russian land grab in Ukraine to bring an end to the war. The Prime Minister, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are preparing to host a coalition of willing partners on Sunday afternoon. This video conference, involving allies committed to maintaining peace in Ukraine, is scheduled ahead of Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting with Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. Trump has suggested that this one-on-one in the Oval Office could potentially set the stage for a three-way meeting with Russian leader Mr Putin. On Friday, the Russian and American leaders convened at a military base in Anchorage, Alaska, aiming to negotiate an end to the conflict in Ukraine. Several media outlets have quoted sources claiming that during these negotiations, Mr Putin demanded full control of Donetsk and Luhansk – two occupied Ukrainian regions – as a prerequisite for ending the war. In return, he would relinquish other Ukrainian territories currently under Russian control. Other reports suggest that Mr Trump is leaning towards supporting this plan, and plans to discuss it with Mr Zelensky during their Monday meeting in the Oval Office. Following a Saturday morning phone call with the US President, Mr Zelensky and Nato allies, Sir Keir praised Mr Trump's "pursuit of an end to the killing". However, he was adamant that Ukraine's leader must not be sidelined from future discussions aimed at brokering peace in Ukraine. The Prime Minister and European leaders seemed increasingly optimistic that Mr Trump will provide a "security guarantee" of aerial backing to support allied ground forces in Ukraine, should they be sent to maintain peace. However, Mr Trump also seemed to shift his position on his objectives for the discussions, suggesting he seeks a lasting peace deal rather than a temporary ceasefire, mirroring Mr Putin's stance. The Alaska meeting was "timely" and "useful", Mr Putin declared following his departure. Analysts have cautioned that the face-to-face summit risks giving credibility to the Russian leader, who has been ostracised by the global community for his invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine's President Mr Zelensky cautioned that Russia might intensify its attacks on his nation in the forthcoming days "in order to create more favourable political circumstances for talks with global actors".
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Trump-Putin latest: Vlad breaks silence after ‘useful' summit as Don summons Zelensky to White House to discuss deal
Scroll down to read our live coverage on the fallout from the crunch meeting VLAD'S DEMANDS Trump-Putin latest: Vlad breaks silence after 'useful' summit as Don summons Zelensky to White House to discuss deal Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) VLADIMIR Putin has broken his silence after crunch talks with Donald Trump in Alaska. The Kremlin tyrant hailed Friday's summit as 'timely and useful' while pushing for a 'fair' deal to end the Ukraine war. 6 Russia's President Vladimir Putin addresses senior officials following a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, at the Kremlin on Saturday Credit: Reuters 6 Putin hailed his Alaska summit with Donald Trump as 'timely and useful' Credit: Reuters 6 Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin shake hands after holding a peace summit in Alaska Credit: Reuters Vlad also told top officials in Moscow that the pair's meeting was 'very frank and substantive' and covered 'almost all areas' of US-Russia relations, with the Ukraine crisis at the core. He added that both sides agreed hostilities must stop 'as soon as possible' and insisted only by addressing the 'root causes' of the war could peace be achieved. It comes as Trump has summoned Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House on Monday – setting the stage for a tense showdown over the future of Ukraine. The Ukrainian leader says he is preparing for crunch White House talks with Trump, calling the meeting 'important' to decide the next steps in the war. In a post on X, he wrote: 'We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing. This complicates the situation… But together we are working for peace and security.' He added he was 'grateful for the invitation' to Washington and stressed the need for leaders to 'clarify all the details and determine which steps are necessary and will work.' Monday's Oval Office meeting will be his first return to the White House since his heated showdown with Trump and Vice President JD Vance in February. It's also been revealed that Putin told Don he wants the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions as part of their peace deal. In exchange for the Donetsk region, the Russian leader said he would halt further military advances in southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Mad Vlad also vowed to halt any new attacks if he is handed Donetsk. Moscow currently controls over 70 per cent of the highly-contested region - but capturing it entirely could allow Putin's forces to cause major disruption to supply lines on the eastern front. Sources close to Volodymyr Zelensky suggest the Ukrainian leader would not agree to the demands but that he would be open to negotiating land with Trump in his upcoming visit to Washington on Monday. The US President has previously said Russia and Ukraine both believe a full peace deal is "the best way" to end the war - rather than a short term ceasefire. Diplomatic sources have since revealed some of the initial details of the potential agreement, according to news agency AFP. The US has reportedly proposed an agreement that would see Ukraine not join Nato - but instead be offered Nato-esque protections similar to Article 5. Trump reportedly floated the plan with Zelensky and European leaders during a call after his meeting with Putin. The source said: "As one of the security guarantees for Ukraine, the American side proposed a non-NATO Article 5 type guarantee, supposedly agreed with Putin." Another insider with knowledge of the matter confirmed the NATO-like guarantees had been discussed. It is unclear what Ukraine would have to give up to secure such a deal. Kyiv has long aspired to join Nato - something fiercely opposed by Russia and cited by one of the reasons for their invasion in 2022. 6 Volodymyr Zelensky will speak to Trump in Washington on Monday Credit: Telegram 6 Trump waves after stepping off Air Force One following phone calls with Volodymyr Zelensky and Nato leaders Credit: AFP 6 Ukrainian territorial defence soldiers fire an artillery gun Credit: Getty But Trump has repeatedly ruled out Ukraine joining the Western military alliance. Don hailed his talks with Putin as "great and very successful" as he detailed the next steps in securing peace in Ukraine. The US delegation left Alaska in Air Force One after a busy day and landed back in Washington shortly after 7am local time. Trump held a lengthy phone call with Zelensky during the flight and invited the Ukrainian President to Washington in just 48 hours time. Nato leaders were also updated on the summit in a separate call with Trump. The US President revealed on Truth Social that he informed the European side and Zelensky of Putin's main wish for a complete end to the war instead of a ceasefire. Read our live blog for the latest on the Trump and Putin peace talks...
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy says Russia refusing ceasefire 'complicates the situation' for ending war
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia refusing to accept a ceasefire was complicating efforts to end Moscow's more than three-year-long conflict, after a summit between the US and Russian presidents yielded no deal on ending the war: 'We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing. This complicates the situation,' Zelenskyy said in a social media post late Saturday. 'If they lack the will to carry out a simple order to stop the strikes, it may take a lot of effort to get Russia to have the will to implement far greater – peaceful coexistence with its neighbors for decades.' Trump has said that he had agreed with Putin that a peace deal should be sought without the prior ceasefire that Ukraine and its European allies, until now with US support, have demanded. Ukrainian and European leaders fear that a straight-to-peace deal, skipping over a preliminary ceasefire, gives Moscow an upper hand in talks. After his meeting with Vladimir Putin on Friday, Donald Trump told European leaders that he supported a plan to end the Ukraine-Russia war by ceding unconquered land to Russia, the New York Times reported, citing two senior European officials. The officials said Trump will discuss the plan with Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday when the Ukrainian president visits the White House, adding that European leaders have been invited to join. Trump earlier said that Kyiv should make a deal with Moscow because 'Russia is a very big power, and they're not.' European officials will decide this weekend whether Zelenskyy will be accompanied on the visit to Washington, German foreign minister Johann Wadephul said on Saturday. European leaders, including Macron, Merz and Starmer, are set to discuss the issues with Zelenskyy on Sunday via video call ahead of his meeting with Trump, the French president's office said in a statement. A joint statement issued by European leaders said they were 'ready to work with US President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy towards a trilateral summit with European support' but 'it will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory. International borders must not be changed by force.' The leaders of eight Nordic-Baltic nations said on Saturday that they remain steadfast in their support for Ukraine and to the efforts by Trump to end the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The leaders of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden said in a statement that achieving peace between Ukraine and Russia requires a ceasefire and security guarantees for Ukraine: 'We welcome President Trump's statement that the US is prepared to participate in security guarantees. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine's armed forces or on its cooperation with other countries,' the statement said. At the Alaska summit, Putin demanded Ukraine withdraw from Donetsk and Luhansk as a condition for ending the war, but offered Trump a freeze along the remaining frontline, two sources with direct knowledge of the talks told the Guardian. Although Luhansk is almost entirely under Russian control, Ukraine still holds key parts of Donetsk, including the cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk and heavily fortified positions whose defence has cost tens of thousands of lives. Eight pages of US government planning documents for the summit meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin were left in a hotel printer in Anchorage before the meeting on Friday, NPR reported. The documents, which were posted online by NPR, appear to have been produced by Trump administration officials in charge of summit planning and included the precise locations and times for the scheduled meetings, as well the phone numbers of US government employees. Canadian prime minister Mark Carney welcomed what he said was US openness to providing security guarantees to Ukraine under a peace deal to end Russia's war against Kyiv. 'Robust and credible security guarantees are essential to any just and lasting peace. I welcome the openness of the United States to providing security guarantees as part of Coalition of the Willing's efforts,' Carney said in a statement. Donald Trump hand-delivered a personal letter from first lady Melania Trump to Russian leader Vladimir Putin raising the plight of Ukrainian and Russian children caught in the middle of the ongoing war between the two European countries, it was reported on Saturday. The contents of the letter were unknown – but two Trump administration officials told Reuters that it mentioned the abductions of children resulting from the war that broke out after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. However, the text of the letter, which was obtained and posted online by Fox News on Saturday, is extremely opaque and makes no reference at all to the abductions or transfer of children from Russian-occupied Ukraine to Russia. Vladimir Putin has said that his visit to Alaska was 'useful and timely', the Russian news agency Tass reported on Saturday. Putin also added that his conversation with Trump was 'sincere and substantive', adding that Russia respects the position of the US and also wants to settle the Ukrainian conflict peacefully. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov held calls on Saturday with his Turkish and Hungarian counterparts, the Russian foreign ministry said. The phone call between Lavrov and Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan took place at Turkey's initiative, the Russian foreign ministry said, and exchanged views on the Russia-US meeting, without elaborating further. The Ukrainian military said it had pushed Russian forces back by about 2km (1.2 miles) on part of the Sumy front in northern Ukraine. There was no immediate comment from Russia, which controls a little over 200 sq km in the region, according to Ukraine's battlefield mapping project DeepState.
