William and Kate ‘deeply concerned’ by Epstein scandal, as King heckled again

The Prince and Princess of Wales have publicly addressed the Epstein scandal for the first time, expressing their deep concern amid the ongoing revelations surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as the King faced further heckling over his disgraced brother.

The reignited crisis which has engulfed both the monarchy and Westminster has shown little sign of abating since the US authorities’ recent dump of millions of documents associated with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Kensington Palace said William and Kate have been “deeply concerned” and their thoughts remain focused on the victims.

It is the first time the views of the prince and princess have been known on the scandal.

The prince is en route to Saudi Arabia for the start of a solo three-day tour of the Middle East country, spending his first day with the Saudi ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Ahead of the visit, a Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “I can confirm that the Prince and Princess of Wales have been deeply concerned by the continued revelations.

“Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”

Meanwhile, as the King arrived at Clitheroe train station on Monday morning to greet crowds at the start of an awayday to Lancashire, a man shouted: “How long have you known about Andrew?”

The rest of the crowd booed after the question was asked.

Just hours later, Thames Valley Police confirmed it was assessing claims that Andrew shared confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with sex offender Epstein.

Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt called on the King to publicly make clear that Andrew should testify before US congress over his links to Epstein, and to support removing his brother from the line of succession.

Mr Hunt told the Press Association: “The royals are rattled and rightly so, with the statement from William and Kate failing because it contains warm words, but no hard action.

“It’s now time for King Charles to make clear publicly that he believes Andrew should testify before US lawmakers and that legislation needs to be passed to remove his brother as eighth in line to the throne.

“If he doesn’t, Charles runs the risk of his reign being remembered as one where the British monarchy failed to properly support Epstein’s victims.”

Andrew, who was stripped of his titles by the King last year, has always denied any wrongdoing and last week finally left Royal Lodge for the monarch’s private Sandringham estate, with Charles personally funding his new life with an annual stipend.

The King also faced heckling on a visit to Dedham, Essex, last week when a man shouted: “Charles, Charles, have you pressurised the police to start investigating Andrew?”

In Clitheroe, other people wore Union flag hats to greet the King, and one brought a Corgi puppy to meet him.

The crowd cheered as Charles waved goodbye before getting into a car.

With the start of William’s tour just a few hours away, there was a sense from Kensington Palace that they wanted the position of the prince and princess to be known, so William could focus on the trip – likely to be the biggest diplomatic test to date of his overseas visits in support of the UK.

Much of the work of the royal family in recent weeks has been overshadowed by the ongoing Epstein scandal, despite the King’s attempts to draw a line under the matter when he banished Andrew in October by stripping him of his right to be a prince and of his dukedom.

The fresh trove of documents released by the US department of justice have sparked a string of allegations against Andrew and led to police launching an investigation into Lord Peter Mandelson over alleged misconduct in public office.

Among the claims are that a second woman was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew, and also that the former prince and Epstein asked an exotic dancer for a threesome in the latter’s Florida home.

The latest allegation is that Andrew shared confidential reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Singapore in his role as the UK’s trade envoy.

One email, dated November 2010, was forwarded by Andrew just five minutes after being sent by his then-special adviser, Amir Patel.

Another, on Christmas Eve 2010, Andrew looped Epstein in on a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, said he had reported the allegations to police.

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: “We can confirm receipt of this report and are assessing the information in line with our established procedures.”

The Duke of Edinburgh was the first royal to publicly speak out since the Epstein documents were released, saying last week that it was important to “remember the victims” when asked how he was “coping”.

William and Kate supported the King’s decision to strip his brother Andrew of his Prince and Duke of York titles and HRH style, a move that ended his public life.

The couple also shared the sentiments of the Buckingham Palace statement at the time, which said: “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”

In 2022, the late Queen stripped her son Andrew of his honorary military roles and he gave up using his HRH style in a dramatic fallout from the civil sex case brought by Virginia Giuffre, who died last year from suicide.

Ms Giuffre alleged she was forced to have sex three times with Andrew, which he vehemently denies, including when she was 17 and also during an orgy, after she was trafficked by Epstein.

Andrew paid millions to settle the civil sex case with her in 2022, despite insisting he had never met her.