Rome, Georgia - President Donald Trump has said the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the ex-Duke of York, is "so bad" for Britain's royal family.

His comments came after the former prince was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over his extensive ties to sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein.

Speaking to reporters as traveled to Georgia, Trump praised Andrew's brother, King Charles III, and said he "would be coming to our country very soon."

The Republican said Andrew's arrest is "a shame."

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He added: "I think it's very sad. I think it's so bad for the royal family."

"When I see that, it's a very sad thing. To see it, and to see what's going on with his brother, who's obviously coming to our country very soon, and he's a fantastic man, the King, so I think it's a very sad thing."

Andrew was arrested on Thursday morning following allegations he shared sensitive information with pedophile financier Epstein while serving as the UK's trade envoy.

The late Queen Elizabeth II's son, who is the first senior royal in modern history to be arrested, was held in custody for around 11 hours before he was released under investigation by Thames Valley Police.

A close friend of Epstein's, Andrew settled a US civil lawsuit in 2022 brought by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she was trafficked and forced to have sex with the then-prince when she was a teenager.

Giuffre died by suicide in April, and fallout from the posthumous publication of her memoir six months later ultimately saw Andrew stripped of his remaining royal titles.

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