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On the question of Prince Andrew’s continued involvement with the school, Kee wrote: “This is a moot point as the Duke has stepped down from public service.” As to a run named in his honour, she replied: “The best interests of our students are at the core of all of our decision-making. All of these matters are under review.”

Prince Andrew’s ties to Lakefield, where, according to People, he earned the nickname “Randy Andy,” were controversial even before the Epstein allegations came to light. In 2017, Maclean’s published an investigation that revealed the prince’s close relationship at the school to Keith Gleed, an Anglican priest and Lakefield chaplain.

The prince invited Gleed to his 21st birthday party in England and to his wedding to Sarah Ferguson in 1986. In 2001, he visited the dying priest in hospital and, in 2008, he donated a hand-carved baptismal font to Lakefield in Gleed’s honour.

According to the Maclean’s story, by Michael Friscolanti, the publicity around that gift prompted at least one former Lakefield student to come forward alleging Gleed had sexually assaulted him while at the school. At least five former students later made similar allegations.

“Lakefield’s own independent investigators concluded in 2015 that the disgraced chaplain violated ‘the trust and authority’ of his position and ‘afflicted harm on innocent students by engaging in sexual misconduct,’” Friscolanti wrote.

A spokesman for the royal family did not reply to an email Wednesday about Prince Andrew’s relationship to Gleed.

Also on Wednesday, the prince announced in a statement that he was stepping back from public duties, days after his baffling interview with the BBC.

“It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support,” the statement said.

“Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.”

Virginia Giuffre, one of Eptein’s alleged victims, says she was forced by the now-dead financier and predator to have sex with the much older prince three times, beginning when she was 17. The royal family has always denied those allegations. In his BBC interview, the prince himself denied ever meeting Giuffre. He claimed her vivid recollection of dancing with the sweaty royal could not have happened because he was, thanks to a war fright, incapable of sweating.