US congressmen have called on King Charles to reveal what he knew about Prince Andrew’s association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and to compel his brother to testify. Democrat congressman Ro Khanna said the royal family had “not been transparent”, while congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez told the BBC that the King should “direct his brother” to answer questions.
The calls come after Buckingham Palace announced it was ready to cooperate in the event of a police inquiry into Andrew’s links to Epstein, and expressed the King’s “profound concern” over the allegations. Thames Valley Police confirmed it was assessing reports that Andrew sent confidential reports from a 2010 trade tour to Epstein, and that a woman was sent to the UK for a sexual encounter with the former prince.
Among the claims in recently released US justice department documents are that Andrew and Epstein asked an exotic dancer for a threesome in Epstein’s Florida home. Andrew, who has always denied wrongdoing, has not spoken publicly about the latest revelations. He recently left Royal Lodge and is now living on the King’s Sandringham Estate.
The Duke of Edinburgh became the first royal to publicly comment, saying it was important to “remember the victims”. The Prince and Princess of Wales also said they were “deeply concerned” and their thoughts were with victims. The King has been heckled twice during royal engagements, with one person asking if he had pressurised police to investigate Andrew.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson reiterated that the King’s thoughts remain with the victims and that the Palace stands ready to support Thames Valley Police if approached. The spokesperson added that the specific claims are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address.
