There is a debate to be had over monarchy's future in wake of Prince Andrew controversy, says Nicola Sturgeon

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said there is a debate to be had over the future of the monarchy in the wake of the controversy over the Duke of York.

Andrew stepped down from public duties after mounting pressure following his BBC Newsnight interview about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

After the programme aired, the duke faced criticism for showing a lack of empathy towards the victims of his late friend, who took his own life in prison earlier this year while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.

In an interview on ITV News At Ten on Thursday, Ms Sturgeon said a debate about the monarchy should not be a distraction from Epstein's victims.

Andrew stepped down from public duties after mounting pressure about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

• READ MORE: Prince Andrew faces mounting pressure to talk to the FBI about EpsteinHowever, when asked if the issue made her consider whether the monarchy is fit for purpose, she replied: "I think it raises a number of questions.

"I think there is a debate to be had about the longer term future of the monarchy, one of the things though in the context of Prince Andrew that I feel very strongly about is that a debate about the monarchy shouldn't be a distraction from Epstein's victims and how they now get whatever justice they can get and get the truth and the ability to move on.

"And I think while, yes, there is a debate to be had about the former, I don't think it should become conflated with that or be used in any way to sort of take attention from that."

The duke has resigned from a large number of patronages, and seen organisations he was once involved with sever ties in the wake of the Newsnight interview.