NSPCC distances itself from Prince Andrew after facing backlash

Britain’s largest children’s charity has distanced itself from Prince Andrew after facing a public backlash over its historic links to the scandal-hit Royal.

The NSPCC faced mounting criticism from members of the public who complained that the Royal Family’s website listed Prince Andrew as a patron of one of the charity’s campaigns.

They questioned the association of a charity that works to protect vulnerable children with the Prince in the wake of the renewed focus on his close friendship with convicted paedophile Epstein.

The Royals’ website states that the 59-year-old Duke is the ‘patron’ of an NSPCC ‘campaign aiming to end cruelty to children and to raise £250 million to that end’.

But the NSPCC was forced to respond to a barrage of criticism on social media by clarifying that its ties with Andrew ended a decade ago, saying: ‘Prince Andrew is no longer our patron, he supported our Full Stop campaign which ended in 2009.’

One of a string of social media users to question the charity said: ‘Prince Andrew is still listed as representing a number of children’s charities. I work with child and young people organisations and have cancelled all NSPCC training until I get a response to their position of having him as a patron.’

Members of the public questioned the association of a charity that works to protect vulnerable children with the Prince in the wake of the renewed focus on his close friendship with convicted paedophile Epstein

The NSPCC statement came as other organisations associated with the Prince faced pressure to comment over the allegations against him.

He is patron of more than 200 charities and organisations, including 33 involved in education and skills with young people. 

Only the University of Huddersfield has so far responded after a leading academic called on the institution to suspend the Prince as its chancellor, a post he took up in 2015.

Author Dr Stephen Dorril, a security and intelligence expert and a former lecturer at Huddersfield, wrote a letter to the university asking how it intended to safeguard its ‘good name and values’ over the damaging allegations concerning Andrew.

A spokesman said Andrew had issued an emphatic denial to allegations of impropriety, adding: ‘His enthusiasm for innovation and entrepreneurship is a natural fit with the work of the university.’

The MoS approached almost 40 organisations and charities for which Andrew is a patron but they failed to respond or were unavailable for comment.