Sarah, Duchess of York

Sarah, Duchess of York

Sarah, Duchess of York, says Britain's Prince Andrew is a "humongously good man".

The 55-year-old ex-wife of the Duke of York has rubbished allegations made against him concerning sex with an underage woman, saying she "won't stand by" and "not support him so publicly".

She said: "The great news is that Andrew and I and the girls are the best family unit there ever is and I know him extremely, extremely well. Buckingham Palace put out a denial two weeks ago or a week ago and we stand by that denial."

The mother of Princesses Beatrice, 26, and Eugenie, 24, also revealed she was shocked such allegations had been said about the royal, and would continue to support him because she knows what it feels like to have "salacious lies" spread about you.

She continued: "Secondly, and more importantly, I won't stand by - because I know what it feels like to have salacious lies made up about you - and not support him so publicly because they are just shockingly accusatory allegations which I don't think is right, it's defamation of character.

"As a great father and a humongously good man and all the works he does for Britain, I won't stand by and let him have his character defamed to this level."

Appearing on US television station NBC, the Duchess - formerly known as Sarah Ferguson - said she would continue to defend her "best friend" until the allegations have gone away.

She added: "I'll have not one word said about him on any level."

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