Prince Andrew dropped by Standard Chartered and KPMG as big names cut ties with scandal-hit royal

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PRINCE Andrew’s financial supporters are cutting ties with the scandal-hit royal as Standard Chartered became the latest firm to pull back from his pet charity project.

The banking giant said it will no longer be a partner of his business start-up project Pitch@Palace.

Prince Andrew is under massive pressure after his sponsors withdrew their backing for him over his role in the Jeffrey Epstein ‘sex slave’ scandal

A spokesman said: “We wont be renewing the sponsorship when it ends in February”.

City giant KPMG yesterday pulled out of his international business platform following a car crash Newsnight interview over his involvement with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Esptein.

Children North East and The Childrens Foundation, both charities Andrew lists on his official website, have refused to say if he still had their support after the TV interview on Saturday night.

Youth development charity Power2 said: We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

The Tall Ships Youth Trust, Seafarers Hospital Society and Action on Hearing Loss declined to comment.

And charities including the English National Ballet and British Deaf Association did not respond to questions about Andrews patronage.

The NSPCC moved to distance itself from the Prince in August.

Financial services firm Aon demanded Pitch@Palace remove its logo from the website, saying it was wrongly listed as a sponsor.

Prince Andrewfounded it in 2014 and its website promises contact with CEOs, influencers, and mentors.

Other sponsors include pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, whose spokesman said: Our three-year partnership expires at the end of this year and is being reviewed.

Barclays would not comment and computer firm Cisco said it decided not to renew its support in April.

Meanwhile, students atHuddersfield Universityvoted in favour of a motion to lobby Prince Andrew to resign as chancellor.

A lawyer demanded Andrew give a statement to FBI agents probing his paedophile pal Epstein.

Spencer Kuvin, representing alleged US sex slaves, said: Royalty has failed the victims.

In the interview, Andrew denied any sexual relationship with alleged victimVirginia Roberts, then aged 17.

Last night sources said the Prince still had the support of The Queen understood to believe him 100 per cent.

But Mr Kuvin, who represents three of Epsteins victims, told HOAR: There was a sense of astonishment from them about the interview.

Prince Andrew said he didnt regret the friendship with Epstein because this child molester was able to introduce him to some important people. That just baffled me.

In the Newsnight interview, Andrew denied having sex with a 17-year-old girl trafficked by Epstein.

He claimed he had no recollection of meeting Virginia Roberts and said he had been at a party at Pizza Express in Woking on the night they are alleged to have had sex after attending Tramp nightclub in London.

City giant KPMG and Standard Chartered pulled out of Andrew’s international business platform Pitch@Palace

Sources say the Duke isn’t aware of the backlash around his repeated denials of any sexual relationship with Virginia Roberts

A lawyer demanded Andrew give a statement to FBI agents probing his paedophile pal Epstein

Sources also said the scandal had placed growing strain on the Queen, who is currently having to cope without retired Prince Philip