HUDDERSFIELD University bosses have been accused of fishing “for a knighthood” by supporting Prince Andrew as chancellor despite widespread criticism of his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Students at the Yorkshire university called for the Duke of York to resign his post following his widely criticised interview with the BBC.

In the disastrous interview the prince denied having sex with the then teenager Virginia Giuffre after meeting at a London nightclub, claiming he had been at Woking’s Pizza Express on the night in question.

Huddersfield University Labour Students group’s Tom Gibson told the Star: “I think he should resign or his chancellorship should be revoked by the university.

“His position is untenable but the university has completely brushed it off.

“They have done their best to wash their hands of it. Maybe someone at the university is hoping for a knighthood.”

Huddersfield University has defended the prince. Its statement said: “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.”

Prince Andrew has also been accused by a former No 10 aide today of having used the N-word during a Buckingham Palace meeting.

Rohan Silva, now an Evening Standard columnist, said he asked Prince Andrew in 2012 if the government’s trade department “could be doing a better job” during a discussion about trade policy.

He said the Duke of York replied: “Well, if you’ll pardon the expression, that really is the n***** in the woodpile.”

The newspaper quoted palace sources insisting that Prince Andrew “did not say that.”

Mr Silva, who at the time was former PM David Cameron’s aide on the tech economy, said he regretted “not confronting the prince on his choice of words.”