The SNP Health Spokesperson for the Commons claimed there are “cascades of royals” and visitors mainly come to see the “core of the family” and the “Queen herself”. Dr Philippa Whitford made the comments on BBC Question Time during a debate on Prince Andrew’s decision to step down from royal duties. The SNP politician said: “With regards to Prince Andrew there’s nobody above the law and I’m not convinced that just going ‘oh I’ll step back’ is enough.

“I think he should be involved, I think he should be giving evidence and not able to just squirrel off and hide from it.

“But people have huge affection and admiration for the Queen, people understand what she went through when her uncle abdicated and you know why she will never abdicate.

“But there are cascades of royals where people feel just exactly what do they contribute, in comparison to their own swanning around?”

BBC host Fiona Bruce asked: “So who are you thinking of in particular?”

Dr Whitford began: “Well I think people like Andrew, all the kind of echelons of royals where obviously the direct lines – “

Liberal Democrat MP Chuka Umunna interjected “the extended family”, before the SNP politician continued: “Yes, I mean look at your family tree it just gets bigger and bigger and bigger, and obviously all of our taxes pay for that.

“Whereas it’s actually the Queen herself, the core of the family, that visitors come to see, the whole changing of the guard, the pomp and circumstance.

“They’re not particularly even aware of a cousin twice removed, but they’re all clinging onto that. And I think there definitely is a case to be slimming down the Royal Family.”

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick later contended: “On balance, for all its flaws, I think the Monarchy is a good thing for this country, I support it. I think the Queen is someone who we’re incredibly lucky to have as our Head of State, I personally have huge amounts of respect and admiration for her. I think actually very sorry for her that in her old age she’s having to see something like this happen. Prince Andrew, well it seems that he’s made the right decision to step back.”

Prince Andrew, in a statement announcing his decision to step back from royal duties, confessed his former association with Epstein had become a “major disruption” to the Royal Family. The second son of the Queen also repeated his “regret” over his “ill-judged association” with the convicted sex offender. Andrew also expressed sympathy for Epstein’s victims, adding that the convicted sex offender’s suicide has “left many unanswered questions”.

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

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“I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure. I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.”

Epstein killed himself in jail in August, where he was being held on fresh charges with a tentative trial date set in mid-2020.

The Duke’s decision comes after he cancelled at the last moment a visit to Yorkshire where he was due to meet residents impacted by the devastating floods in Fishlake and Stainforth.

Over the weekend, Prince Andrew made headlines over his relationship with Epstein after the Duke sat down with the BBC’s Emily Maitlis for a Newsnight interview that aired on Saturday.

The Duke of York was questioned by Ms Maitlis about his relationship with Epstein, as well as his alleged interactions with a then 17-year-old girl – Virginia Roberts.

The 57-year-old denied spending time with Virginia Roberts, who has alleged she met the royal in London, saying he had taken his daughter Princess Beatrice to a birthday party at Pizza Express in Woking.

He said he remembered it “distinctly” because “going to Pizza Express in Woking is a very unusual thing for me to do”. Prince Andrew also told Ms Maitlis: “I’ve only been to Woking a couple of times and I remember it weirdly distinctly.”

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