King Charles Faces Heckling Regarding His Brother's Jeffrey Epstein Links
In the course of a public appearance to Lichfield Cathedral on Monday, the King was heckled by a man who asked him about Prince Andrew's relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The man inquired how long the monarch had been known about his brother's relationship with Epstein, and also questioned whether he had asked the police to "conceal" for Andrew.
Despite the heckling, there were crowds of fans and cheers for the King, who was visiting the region for an engagement.
The Duke of York's connections with Epstein have been under renewed focus in recent weeks. The royal, who relinquished his royal duties earlier this month, has categorically denied any misconduct.
"How long have you known about Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein? Have you asked the authorities to cover up for him?"
The King ignored the questions but carried on meeting fans, some of whom chanted "Long live the King". One fan can be overheard requesting him for a hug.
Another woman outside the cathedral was also heard telling the heckler to "go away" and to "shut up".
Scandal Revived by Memoir
The controversy over the Duke of York's links to Epstein has been revived by sexual abuse claims detailed in Ms. Giuffre's posthumously-published book.
In the memoir, Ms Giuffre claims she had sexual encounters with the prince on three separate occasions, including once with Epstein and "eight other young girls"
Andrew, who reached a out-of-court agreement with Ms Giuffre in recent years, has repeatedly denied any misconduct. In a previous interview, he told BBC Newsnight he did not recall meeting Ms Giuffre "ever", and that they "did not have any sort of sexual contact."
Fresh Questions About Lifestyle and Living Arrangements
But recently, fresh questions have been raised about how he is able to finance his way of life despite not being a active member of the royal family.
The disclosure that he has only ever paid a token annual rent 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 called in front of members of parliament to give evidence about his lease of his residence.
But last Thursday, the government refused to give MPs time to debate the prince's titles or his residence, despite increasing calls for investigation.
Buckingham Palace has not commented on whether Prince Andrew might move out of his current residence - or where he might reside.
Related Topics
- Prince Andrew
- British Monarchy
- King Charles III