Fact Check: Did Trump say Queen Elizabeth should pardon her son Andrew following his arrest?

WASHINGTON, DC: Following the arrest of the former Prince of the United Kingdom, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, over his links to Jeffrey Epstein, a claim has been circulating on social media platforms suggesting that President Donald Trump requested the late Queen Elizabeth II to pardon her son. Let us analyse the claim and fact-check it.

Claim: Trump asked Queen Elizabeth to pardon Andrew 

The claim surfaced in the form of a screenshot showing a post by Trump on his official Truth Social handle. The purported post states, “The arrest of Prince Andrew is an unimaginable mistake."

The post continued, "Queen Elizabeth should pardon her own son. I would pardon my own kids if they ever needed it.” The post has garnered nearly three million views and has been widely shared by liberal accounts accusing the president of having dementia.

Fact Check: Trump made no such remark

However, a search of Trump’s Truth Social handle shows no post matching the viral remark. Moreover, the screenshot carries a watermark stating that it is satire.

Hence, the claim is fake, and the image is digitally manipulated. The fake screenshot also contains several elements that indicate it is not authentic, such as the time of posting being listed as 13:62 AM.

Moreover, there is no official statement from the president or the White House asking to pardon for the former prince. 

A Google search also does not generate any relevant results supporting the viral claim.

However, Trump called the situation “very, very sad” for the royal family and commented on renewed public scrutiny surrounding Epstein’s past associations. The president also reiterated that he has been “totally exonerated” in prior investigations related to Epstein.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested over alleged misconduct in public office

Andrew was arrested on Thursday, February 19, on suspicion of misconduct in public office, police confirmed.

The arrest followed recent revelations stemming from US Justice Department files detailing his past dealings with Jeffrey Epstein.

While authorities did not formally name Mountbatten-Windsor, they confirmed that searches were underway at two addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk. Norfolk Constabulary said it was supporting the investigation.

Mountbatten-Windsor, the son of Queen Elizabeth II, stepped back from royal duties in 2019 amid scrutiny over his association with Epstein.

In 2022, he reached an out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre, who had accused him of alleged exploitation when she was 17. He denied those allegations.

It is highly unusual for a senior royal, or former senior royal, to be arrested in modern times. Mountbatten-Windsor denied all wrongdoing and did not comment on the latest allegations.