Britain’s King Charles III has made his first public intervention on the latest revelations emerging from the Jeffrey Epstein files, signalling that Buckingham Palace is prepared to cooperate fully with the police over allegations linked to his brother, Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
In a statement issued by a palace spokesperson, the monarch said he was deeply troubled by the continuing disclosures surrounding Prince Andrew’s conduct and stressed that the royal household would support law enforcement if formally approached.
“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,” the spokesperson said.
“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.”
The statement came as Thames Valley Police confirmed it was assessing whether there were sufficient grounds to investigate a complaint filed by the anti-monarchy pressure group, Republic. The group has reported Prince Andrew for suspected misconduct in public office and an alleged breach of official secrets.
The complaint followed the release of a fresh batch of documents linked to the late financier and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. Emails contained in the documents allegedly show Prince Andrew forwarding reports of official overseas visits and sensitive investment information to Epstein while he was serving as the UK’s trade envoy.
According to details in the files, the former prince is said to have passed on reports relating to official visits to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam shortly after receiving them from his then special adviser, Amit Patel. One email trail reportedly shows that on November 30, 2010, he forwarded official visit reports to Epstein just five minutes after receiving them.
Another set of documents indicates that on December 24, 2010, Prince Andrew allegedly shared confidential investment information linked to Afghanistan. Under official government guidance, trade envoys are required to preserve strict confidentiality over commercially and politically sensitive material.
Buckingham Palace emphasised that the King and Queen’s focus remains firmly on victims of abuse.
“Their Majesties’ thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse,” the palace said.
The controversy spilled into public view earlier in the week when King Charles was confronted during a visit to Clitheroe. As the monarch greeted members of the public, a heckler shouted, “How long have you known about Andrew?” drawing boos from the surrounding crowd.
The latest palace intervention followed a similar statement issued by a spokesperson for the Prince and Princess of Wales, who said they were “deeply concerned” by the new Epstein-related revelations. The statement added that their “thoughts remain focused on the victims” ahead of Prince William’s forthcoming official visit to Saudi Arabia.
Since the release of more than three million Epstein-related documents, pressure has intensified on Prince Andrew, with reports alleging that a second woman was sent to the United Kingdom by Epstein for a sexual encounter with him. Some of the documents are also said to include photographs showing Andrew in compromising situations.
The disclosures have also caused renewed embarrassment for Andrew’s former wife, Sarah Ferguson, whose name reportedly appeared in emails appealing to Epstein for financial assistance and support.
In late January 2026, Prince Andrew was moved earlier than expected from Royal Lodge in Windsor to King Charles’s private Sandringham estate. The relocation followed mounting pressure on the royal household to further distance the monarchy from the disgraced royal.
Previously, in October 2025, Andrew was stripped of his remaining royal titles as both a prince and a duke, following an earlier wave of Epstein-related disclosures.
Prince Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Palace officials have repeatedly stressed that being named in the Epstein files does not, in itself, amount to proof of criminal conduct.
However, the latest developments have renewed scrutiny of the monarchy’s handling of the scandal, with legal, political and public pressure continuing to build as British police weigh whether to open a formal investigation.
