King’s ‘profound concern’ at Andrew claims as Palace pledges to support police

The King has made clear his “profound concern” at allegations about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct, with Buckingham Palace saying it will “stand ready to support” the police if approached over the claims.

Thames Valley Police has confirmed it is assessing suggestions that the King’s brother shared confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

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 Epstein.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct.

“While the specific claims in question are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police we stand ready to support them as you would expect.

“As was previously stated, Their Majesties’ thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse.”

The Palace has not so far been approached by Thames Valley Police over the claims which relate to Andrew’s time as the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment.

The Prince and Princess of Wales meanwhile publicly addressed the Epstein scandal for the first time on Monday, with Kensington Palace saying they were “deeply concerned” at the “continued revelations” and that their thoughts “remain focused on the victims”.

The comment from Buckingham Palace came after the King was heckled for the second time in a week about Andrew.

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

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

Just hours later, the Thames Valley force confirmed it was assessing claims that Andrew shared confidential reports with Epstein.

Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt has 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 King’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?”

Kensington Palace’s statement is the first time the views of the prince and princess have been known on the scandal.

William has arrived in Saudi Arabia for the start of his 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.”

With William embarking on the most important foreign visit of his public career, 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 to one of the UK’s closest Middle East allies.

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 has 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.

The Duke of Edinburgh was the first member of the royal family 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.