Prince Andrew's future as a trade envoy for the U.K. may be in doubt following new revelations about his ties with a billionaire U.S. sex offender, according to reports by British media.
The Duke of York has come under fire because of his 16-year friendship with financier Jeffrey Epstein, whom he has known since the early 1990s and met as recently as December in New York.
Epstein, 58, was accused of sex offenses by several underage girls and sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
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Prince Andrew, right, has come under fire for his ties to financier Jeffrey Epstein, left, who was convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008.
British ministers said this weekend that a review of the Duke of York's role was planned as a way to lower his profile, The Telegraph reported today.
But Prime Minister David Cameron said today that he supported Andrew. A spokesman told the BBC there would be no review and that Cameron had "full confidence" in the prince.
Epstein helped Prince Andrew's debt-ridden former wife, Sarah Ferguson, avoid bankruptcy by paying off some of her $8 million debt, the newspaper reported Sunday. Photos of Andrew walking with Epstein in Central Park in December were published last month, and Andrew was apparently intervening on Ferguson's behalf with Epstein at the time, The Telegraph said.
Epstein eventually gave Ferguson's assistant $25,000 to help her sort out issues with her creditors, according to the newspaper.
Ferguson said today she had made "a gigantic error in judgment" in accepting money from Epstein.
"I personally, on behalf of myself, deeply regret that Jeffrey Epstein became involved in any way with me," she told the Evening Standard newspaper. "I abhor pedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf.
"I am just so contrite I cannot say. Whenever I can I will repay the money and will have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again," she said.
Adding to the prince's troubles, a photo from 2001 was published last week showing him with his arm around Virginia Roberts, then age 17, who says she was sexually exploited by Epstein and his friends, The Guardian reported. Roberts said she met the prince several times at Epstein's home. There was no indication of sexual contact, and Andrew categorically denies any wrongdoing or impropriety.
The Mail on Sunday reported that the FBI is to reopen its investigation into Epstein over allegations of his involvement with underage girls.
However, sources told Sky News that the Duke of York "remains committed to his role" despite the controversy.
Business secretary Vincent Cable told BBC Radio today that conversations would be taking place with Prince Andrew over his position as special trade representative.
"He is a volunteer, he has offered to perform these roles, and I think it is down to him essentially to judge the position he wants to be in," Cable said. "Obviously there are conversations that will take place with him about what he is to do in future. That is simply a matter of managing the relationship."
But later the prime minister's office issued a statement saying, "We fully support Prince Andrew in his role as trade envoy. Our position is very clear. There is no review of his role."
The embattled duke was already on political thin ice last week over two other close friendships -- with Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the Libyan leader, and Tarek Kaituni, a convicted Libyan arms dealer.
Cameron faced calls in Parliament last week to relieve Andrew of his role as trade ambassador because of those ties.
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