An American school bus emblazoned with a photograph of Prince Andrew and the words, 'If you see this man ask him to call the FBI', drove around Buckingham Palace today.

The yellow bus drove through central London and around the perimeter of the palace, putting mounting pressure on the Duke of York to answer questions about his friendship with billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

A banner on the side read: 'If you see this man please ask him to call the FBI to answer their questions.'

The duke has stepped away from royal duties following his disastrous Newsnight interview which probed his relationship with disgraced U.S. financier Epstein, who was found dead in a New York prison cell last August.

As a result, several charities he was associated with no longer receive his patronage and he was notably absent from the main annual Christmas service at Sandringham.

The future of his Dragons-Den style pet project Pitch@Palace has also been put in jeopardy as major supporters pulled the plug and their financial support.

The bus featured the website address for attorney Gloria Allred, who is representing several alleged victims of Epstein and thought to have organised the stunt.

During a press conference in America last year Ms Allred - who is currently in New York for the trial of Harvey Weinstein - said Andrew 'has an obligation' to meet with investigators to disclose what he knew about Epstein.

The Prince, a former Royal Navy officer who retired in 2000, was set to be honoured with a naval promotion on the day he turned 60, but asked for it to be 'deferred'.

The Duke was seen today for the first time leaving Royal Lodge, the Windsor residence he shares with his ex-wife, Fergie, since his low-key 60th birthday celebrations.

The yellow bus drove through central London and around the perimeter of the palace

Prince Andrew seen for the first time since turning 60 leaving his home, Royal Lodge today

The banner on the school bus is urging to people to ask the Duke of York to call the FBI

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The Duke celebrated his birthday last week with his ex-wife at Royal Lodge - in stark contrast to the weekend-long party he enjoyed at St James's Palace for his 50th birthday.

Flags to mark his birthday did not fly from public buildings, though the bells of Westminster Abbey did ring to mark the occasion.

According to onlookers, the bus made its way through Mayfair before it was pulled over by police in Park Street.

One bystander who spotted the 'weird bus' said officers spoke to the driver for around ten minutes before the bus was allowed to drive off.

The prince has categorically denied having any knowledge that Epstein was sexually abusing teenage girls.

But the scandal reignited last November when Andrew gave a disastrous interview to BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis in which he failed to express any regret for continuing his friendship with the disgraced financier after he was jailed for child sex abuse.

The prince told the BBC he did not regret his friendship with Epstein, because 'the people that I met and the opportunities that I was given to learn either by him or because of him were actually very useful'.

He told Miss Maitlis he would give investigators a statement under oath 'in the right circumstances'.

After a public furore, in which he was forced to withdraw from royal duties, he issued a statement saying he would 'of course' speak to investigators 'if required'.

Andrew was the patron of 189 charities and organisations including 28 golf clubs and societies - who all needed new patrons.

An onlooker said the yellow American High School bus telling anyone who sees Prince Andrew to call the FBI was pulled over by police in central London this morning.

The businessman, who asked not to be named, said the vehicle was stopped at 11.55am in Victoria Street, south London, outside the Labour Party headquarters.

'I saw this big yellow US school bus come around the corner from Buckingham Gate into Victoria Street as I left work to get a sandwich,' he said.

'It was quite surreal to see it in central London. Lots of people on the street were looking at the message about Prince Andrew in large letters along the side. I was trying to work out who had done it.

The bus made its way through Mayfair before it was pulled over by police in Park Street

The future of Prince Andrew's pet project Pitch@Palace appears in jeopardy as yet major supporters pulled the plug and their financial support

The Duke of York, speaking for the first time about his links to Jeffrey Epstein in an interview with BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis

'Behind the bus was a police patrol car with blue flashing lights who followed it into Victoria Street and ordered the driver to stop.

'Two police officers got out and spoke to the driver, presumably to check the vehicle's registration documents.

'Once they were satisfied the papers were fine, he was allowed to continue on his journey.'

Earlier this month, Prince Andrew was urged by lawyers to 'get on a plane' and answer questions from the FBI as part of a reciprocal deal that would see US spy's wife Anne Sacoolas sent to the UK where she is accused of killing teen Harry Dunn.

The demand was made in an extraordinary press conference in New York where Lisa Bloom, lawyer for alleged victims of Epstein, teamed up with Dunn family lawyer Radd Seiger in an attempt to break the stalemate that has ensnared both of their cases in political red tape.

Andrew's much anticipated appearance on BBC's Newsnight to defend his reputation in the wake of the Epstein sex scandal, saw him admit the friendship with the disgraced financier 'gave him the opportunity to meet people'

Mrs Sacoolas was charged with causing Mr Dunn's death by dangerous driving in December but US secretary of state Mike Pompeo rejected an extradition request for the 42-year-old last month.

Nineteen-year-old Mr Dunn was killed when his motorbike crashed into a car outside US military base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on August 27 last year.

The lawyers appeared alongside one of Epstein's accusers, a model named Kiki who appealed to the Queen to persuade Prince Andrew to help the US authorities with anything he witnessed in his time with Epstein.

Ms Bloom highlighted what she called 'eerie parallels' between the cases that involved 'everyday teenagers'.