King Charles Faces Heckling Regarding Prince Andrew's Epstein Ties
In the course of a engagement to a cathedral in Staffordshire on Monday, the King was confronted by a man who asked him about his brother's links with disgraced financier Epstein.
The man asked how long the King had been aware about his sibling's association with Epstein, and also raised doubts about whether he had instructed the authorities to "conceal" for Prince Andrew.
Amid the heckling, there were crowds of fans and applause for the monarch, who was in the region for an engagement.
Prince Andrew's connections with Jeffrey Epstein have been under close examination in the past few weeks. The royal, who gave up his titles earlier this month, has repeatedly denied any misconduct.
"For how long have you known about Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein? Did you request the authorities to conceal for him?"
The King remained silent but carried on meeting supporters, some of whom shouted "God Save The King". One fan can be heard requesting him for a embrace.
A female bystander outside the venue was also observed telling the heckler to "leave" and to "shut up".
Scandal Reignited by Posthumous Publication
The scandal over Prince Andrew's connections to Epstein has been brought back into focus by misconduct allegations detailed in Virginia Giuffre's posthumously-published memoir.
In the publication, the accuser alleges she had sexual encounters with the royal on multiple times, including one instance with Epstein and "several other minors"
Prince Andrew, who agreed to a out-of-court agreement with Ms Giuffre in 2022, has repeatedly denied any misconduct. In 2019, he told BBC Newsnight he did not recall meeting Ms Giuffre "ever", and that they "never had any sort of intimate relations."
Fresh Questions Over Lifestyle and Housing
But in recent times, fresh questions have been asked about how he is able to finance his way of life despite not being a working royal.
The disclosure that he has only ever paid a nominal fee on his Royal Lodge has intensified the scrutiny over his living arrangements - even though he made significant contributions up front, including for renovations.
The Liberal Democrats said he should be summoned before members of parliament to give testimony about his lease of his lodge.
But last Thursday, the authorities declined to give MPs time to debate the royal's status or his residence, despite growing pressure for scrutiny.
Buckingham Palace has not issued a statement on whether Prince Andrew might move out of his current residence - or where he might reside.
Related Topics
- The Duke of York
- UK Royal Family
- King Charles III