King Charles Faces Heckling Regarding His Brother's Epstein Connections
In the course of a visit to Lichfield Cathedral on Monday, King Charles was shouted at by a individual who asked him about his brother's relationship with convicted sex offender Epstein.
The man asked how long the monarch had been aware about his sibling's relationship with Epstein, and also raised doubts about whether he had asked the police to "hide" for Andrew.
Amid the heckling, there were throngs of supporters and cheers for the monarch, who was visiting Staffordshire for an ceremony.
The Duke of York's connections with Jeffrey Epstein have been under renewed focus in the past few weeks. The prince, who gave up his royal duties earlier this month, has categorically denied any wrongdoing.
"How long have you been aware about Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein? Have you asked the authorities to conceal for Andrew?"
The monarch remained silent but carried on greeting fans, some of whom chanted "God Save The King". One supporter can be heard requesting him for a embrace.
A female bystander outside the cathedral was also heard telling the protester to "leave" and to "be quiet".
Scandal Reignited by Memoir
The scandal over the Duke of York's connections to Epstein has been revived by sexual abuse claims detailed in Virginia Giuffre's recently released memoir.
In the memoir, Ms Giuffre claims she had sexual encounters with the royal on three separate occasions, including once with Jeffrey Epstein and "eight other young girls"
Andrew, who reached a out-of-court agreement with Ms Giuffre in 2022, has repeatedly denied any misconduct. In a previous interview, he told BBC Newsnight he did not remember meeting her "ever", and that they "never had any sort of intimate relations."
Fresh Questions Over Lifestyle and Living Arrangements
But recently, fresh questions have been asked about how he is able to fund his lifestyle despite not being a active member of the royal family.
The revelation that he has only ever paid a nominal fee on his Royal Lodge has heightened the scrutiny over his living arrangements - even though he made large payments initially, including for improvements.
The Liberal Democrats said he should be called in before MPs to give testimony about his lease of his lodge.
But last week, the authorities declined to give parliamentarians time to discuss the prince's status or his residence, despite growing pressure for scrutiny.
Buckingham Palace has not issued a statement on whether Prince Andrew might relocate of his current residence - or where he might go.
Related Topics
- The Duke of York
- UK Royal Family
- King Charles III