The Monarch Faces Heckling Over Prince Andrew's Epstein Ties
In the course of a public appearance to Lichfield Cathedral on the start of the week, King Charles was heckled by a man who questioned him about Prince Andrew's links with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The man asked how long the King had been aware about his brother's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, and also raised doubts about whether he had asked the police to "hide" for Andrew.
Amid the protest, there were large groups of supporters and cheers for the King, who was visiting the region for an ceremony.
The Duke of York's connections with Epstein have been under close examination in recent weeks. The prince, who relinquished his titles earlier this month, has categorically denied any wrongdoing.
"How long have you known about Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein? Have you asked the police to conceal for Andrew?"
The monarch ignored the questions but carried on meeting fans, some of whom shouted "Long live the King". One fan can be heard asking him for a embrace.
A female bystander outside the cathedral was also observed telling the heckler to "go away" and to "be quiet".
Scandal Reignited by Memoir
The controversy over Prince Andrew's connections to Epstein has been brought back into focus by misconduct claims repeated in Ms. Giuffre's posthumously-published memoir.
In the memoir, the accuser claims she had sexual encounters with the prince on multiple times, including one instance with Jeffrey Epstein and "eight other young girls"
Andrew, who agreed to a out-of-court agreement with Ms Giuffre in 2022, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. In a previous interview, he told BBC Newsnight he did not remember meeting Ms Giuffre "ever", and that they "did not have any sort of sexual contact."
New Inquiries Over Finances and Living Arrangements
But recently, new inquiries 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 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 political party said he should be summoned front of members of parliament to give testimony about his lease of his lodge.
But last week, the authorities refused to give parliamentarians time to debate the royal's titles or his residence, despite growing pressure for investigation.
The royal household has not issued a statement on whether the Duke of York might relocate of his home - or where he might reside.
Related Topics
- The Duke of York
- British Monarchy
- King Charles III
