🔗 Share this article

In the course of a public appearance to a cathedral in Staffordshire on Monday, the King was confronted by a individual who asked him about Prince Andrew's relationship with disgraced financier Epstein.

The individual inquired how long the monarch had been known about his brother's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, and also questioned whether he had asked the authorities to "cover up" for Prince Andrew.

Amid the heckling, there were large groups of well-wishers and applause for the monarch, who was visiting Staffordshire for an ceremony.

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 repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

"For how long have you been aware about Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein? Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew?"

The King ignored the questions but continued greeting fans, some of whom chanted "God Save The King". One fan can be heard requesting him for a hug.

A female bystander outside the venue was also heard telling the protester to "go away" and to "be quiet".

Scandal Revived by Memoir

The scandal over the Duke of York's connections to Jeffrey Epstein has been revived by misconduct claims repeated in Virginia Giuffre's posthumously-published memoir.

In the memoir, the accuser says she had sex with the prince on multiple times, including once with Epstein and "eight other young girls"

Andrew, who reached a out-of-court agreement with the plaintiff in 2022, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. In a previous interview, he told a news program he did not recall meeting her "ever", and that they "did not have any sort of sexual contact."

New Inquiries About Lifestyle and Housing

But recently, new inquiries have been raised about how he is able to finance his lifestyle despite not being a working royal.

The disclosure that he has only ever paid a nominal fee on his Royal Lodge has heightened the scrutiny over his housing situation - even though he made large payments initially, including for improvements.

The political party said he should be called in before MPs to give testimony about his rental agreement of his lodge.

But last Thursday, the government refused to give parliamentarians time to debate the prince's titles or his home, despite growing pressure for scrutiny.

Buckingham Palace has not commented on whether Prince Andrew might relocate of his current residence - or where he might reside.

Related Topics

• The Duke of York
• British Monarchy
• King Charles III