Buckingham Palace has been thrust into another major crisis as court documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case reveal the names of senior royals, including the scandal-plagued Prince Andrew.
The newly unsealed papers from a 2016 US civil case show both the Duke of York and the Prince of Wales were mentioned in the files, though sources close to Prince William stress he is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Royal Connections Under Scrutiny
While Prince Andrew's association with the convicted sex offender has been extensively documented, the inclusion of Prince William's name in the legal documents marks a significant development. Court officials confirmed the Prince of Wales appears in records connected to the lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre against Ghislaine Maxwell.
A spokesperson for the Prince and Princess of Wales moved quickly to address the situation, telling The Independent: "We have no comment to make on the ongoing legal proceedings, though we note the Prince of Wales is not accused of any impropriety."
Epstein's Westminster Cathedral Visit
The documents also shed new light on Epstein's connections within British establishment circles. They reveal the disgraced financier attended a memorial service at Westminster Cathedral in 2010 for the Dowager Duchess of Roxburghe.
This attendance occurred after Epstein's initial conviction for sex offences in Florida, raising further questions about how freely he moved within elite social circles despite his criminal record.
Ongoing Fallout for Royal Family
The latest revelations come at a particularly sensitive time for the monarchy, with King Charles attempting to steady the institution following years of controversy surrounding his brother. Prince Andrew was stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages in 2022 after settling a sexual assault case out of court.
Royal commentators suggest these new disclosures could further complicate the King's efforts to modernise the monarchy and distance it from past associations. The palace has maintained its position of not commenting on ongoing legal matters, but the emergence of these documents ensures the Epstein scandal continues to cast a shadow over the House of Windsor.
