Corporate sponsors review links to Duke of York’s Pitch@Palace scheme after disastrous interview
FIRMS are under scrutiny over their support for Prince Andrew’s Pitch@Palace initiative, as the fallout from the Duke of York’s weekend interview regarding his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continues.
Founding partner of the entrepreneurs’ mentoring scheme KPMG is said to have decided not to renew its sponsorship, which expired at the end of last month. It declined to comment on the cause for the lapsed deal.
Astrazeneca, another sponsor of the programme, said: “Our three-year partnership with Pitch@Palace is due to expire at the end of this year and is currently being reviewed.”
The decision comes as the fallout from the Duke of York’s interview on BBC’s Newsnight continues.
Read more: Jeffrey Epstein charged with trafficking underage girls
During Saturday’s interview the Duke categorically denied allegations that he had had sex with 17-year-old Virginia Roberts (now Guiffre) in 2002.
Global professional services firm Aon also distanced itself from the initiative. According to someone close to the company, Aon was not connected with the scheme and never had been.
The company had asked for its logo to be removed from the initiative’s website. The page which showed corporate sponsors has today been taken down.
The project is also supported by easygroup founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou through his charity, The Stelios Foundation. CityAM understands that the charity has no plans to change the existing relationship.
Barclays and Standard Chartered declined to comment. CityAM has also approached Ten Cent and Bosch for comment, as well as a spokesman for the Pitch@Palace initiative.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson told Sky News that “KPMG’s contract with Pitch@Palace ended at the end of October. A full programme of Pitch@Palace events is continuing across the United Kingdom”.
Pitch@Palace, which was set up in 2014, aims to connect entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses with potential supporters, including chief executives and investors.
University stands by royal chancellor
Other organisations have come under pressure to sever their links with the embattled royal.
Students at University of Huddersfield, who voted in September in favour of removing the Duke of York from his role of chancellor over allegations of inappropriate behaviour, said they were exploring how they could force him out.
The university released a statement saying: “HRH, The Duke of York, has long ties with the university stretching back to his first visit in 2001.
“He became its patron in 2013 and was then conferred as chancellor in 2015.
“As chancellor, he has taken a keen interest in the work of the university and has represented it in his official capacity on numerous occasions.
“His enthusiasm for innovation and entrepreneurship is a natural fit with the work of the university and every year the University of Huddersfield organises The Duke of York Young Entrepreneur Awards, which are promoted across universities throughout the north of England.
“In relation to the allegations, the palace has previously issued an emphatic denial and this was reiterated in the BBC interview with the Duke of York and we have nothing further to add.”