LONDON (AP) — King Charles III has taken unprecedented steps to distance the British monarchy from the escalating scandal involving his younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, signaling a sharp break from past royal practice as scrutiny over the late financier Jeffrey Epstein intensifies.
In a statement released Monday, Buckingham Palace said it is prepared to cooperate fully should police launch a formal investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Epstein. The announcement followed revelations from newly released U.S. Justice Department documents that detailed continued contact between the two men well after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Since October, King Charles has stripped Mountbatten-Windsor of his remaining royal titles, including the right to be called a prince, ordered him to vacate Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle, and publicly expressed concern for the women and girls abused by Epstein. The moves mark the most decisive effort yet to isolate the former prince from the rest of the royal family.
“Fifty or 100 years ago, you can imagine the gentlemen’s agreements that would have buried this kind of story,” said Ed Owens, author of After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself? “But we live in a more democratic age where accountability matters. By taking the moral high ground, the king is acknowledging that public opinion demands justice.”
The palace’s latest stance was prompted by allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor sent confidential reports to Epstein following a 2010 tour of Southeast Asia, which he undertook as Britain’s trade envoy. The correspondence was uncovered by journalists reviewing millions of pages released by the U.S. Justice Department.
Thames Valley Police, which covers areas west of London including Mountbatten-Windsor’s former residence, said it was “assessing” the reports. The palace swiftly responded.
“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,” Buckingham Palace said. “While the specific claims are for Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police we stand ready to support them.”
Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing in his relationship with Epstein.
British newspapers prominently featured the palace’s statement on Tuesday, with The Sun running the headline: “King: We’ll Help Cops on Andy.”
According to Craig Prescott, a constitutional law expert at Royal Holloway, University of London, the king’s actions are aimed at containing the damage and protecting the institution.
“As long as the scandal remains confined to Prince Andrew, the monarchy is relatively safe,” Prescott said, noting that public support for the monarchy remains largely intact.
The royal family has struggled to manage the fallout since 2010, when Virginia Giuffre alleged that Epstein trafficked her to Britain to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor while she was still a minor. Giuffre, who was 17 at the time, died by suicide last year.
Under Queen Elizabeth II, whose approach was guided by the principle of “never complain, never explain,” the palace largely avoided public comment. That strategy unraveled in 2019 after Mountbatten-Windsor’s widely criticized BBC interview, in which he offered implausible explanations and failed to express sympathy for Epstein’s victims.
Shortly afterward, Elizabeth removed her son from royal duties, though he retained his title until last year. In October, amid the release of a critical biography and the looming disclosure of U.S. court documents, King Charles removed his brother’s remaining honors.
Mountbatten-Windsor vacated Royal Lodge months ahead of schedule and has since relocated to the Sandringham Estate, a privately owned royal property in eastern England.
Owens warned that while cooperation with police may lead to further negative headlines, it could be necessary to restore public trust.
“This will bring more unwanted scrutiny,” he said. “But this is how the monarchy attempts to finally exorcise the shadow of Jeffrey Epstein.”
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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