The Monarch Faces Protest Concerning His Brother's Jeffrey Epstein Ties
In the course of a visit to a cathedral in Staffordshire on Monday, the King was heckled by a man who questioned him about his brother's links with disgraced financier Epstein.
The protester demanded to know how long the monarch had been known about his brother's relationship with Epstein, and also raised doubts about whether he had instructed the police to "conceal" for Prince Andrew.
Amid the protest, there were throngs of fans and cheers for the King, who was in Staffordshire for an ceremony.
Prince Andrew's connections with Jeffrey Epstein have been under renewed focus in recent weeks. The prince, who relinquished his royal duties earlier this month, has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
"For how long have you been aware about Prince Andrew and Epstein? Did you request the authorities to cover up for Andrew?"
The King ignored the questions but carried on greeting fans, some of whom shouted "Long live the King". One fan can be heard asking him for a hug.
Another woman outside the cathedral was also observed telling the heckler to "leave" and to "be quiet".
Scandal Revived by Posthumous Publication
The controversy over the Duke of York's links to Epstein has been brought back into focus by misconduct allegations detailed in Virginia Giuffre's posthumously-published book.
In the memoir, the accuser says she had sex with the royal on multiple times, including once with Jeffrey Epstein and "eight other young girls"
Prince Andrew, who agreed to a out-of-court agreement with Ms Giuffre in 2022, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. In 2019, he told a news program he did not remember meeting her "at all", and that they "did not have any sort of sexual contact."
New Inquiries Over Finances and Housing
But in recent times, fresh questions have been raised about how he is able to fund his way of life despite not being a working royal.
The revelation that he has only ever paid a token annual rent on his Windsor mansion has heightened the scrutiny over his living arrangements - even though he made significant contributions up front, including for renovations.
The political party said he should be summoned front of MPs to give testimony about his lease of his residence.
But last week, the authorities refused to give MPs time to debate the prince's titles or his residence, despite growing pressure for scrutiny.
The royal household has not commented on whether the Duke of York might move out of his current residence - or where he might go.
Related Topics
- The Duke of York
- British Monarchy
- The Monarch
