King Charles III wanted to acknowledge victims of abuse in his joint address to Congress, including alleged survivors of Jeffrey Epstein, the palace has said. In his speech on Capitol Hill Tuesday afternoon, the British monarch stated: “In both of our countries, it is the very fact of our vibrant, diverse and free societies that gives us our collective strength, including to support victims of some of the ills that, so tragically, exist in both our societies today.” Although Charles did not explicitly name specific crimes or individuals, a palace aide confirmed that it was on the king’s “mind to acknowledge victims of abuse, so they are naturally incorporated in this line.”
Royal Family and Epstein Scandal
The king’s younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has strenuously denied accusations that he sexually abused one of Epstein’s most prominent accusers, Virginia Giuffre. Giuffre died by suicide approximately one year ago at the age of 41. Earlier this month, Giuffre’s family strongly urged Charles to meet with them and other alleged Epstein victims during his state visit to the United States with Queen Camilla. In a statement to BBC Newsnight, the family expressed hope “that conversation with survivors and their families will continue to elicit decisive action from the British government against the co-conspirators of Jeffrey Epstein.”
Giuffre's Allegations and Andrew's Denials
Andrew was mentioned 88 times in Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, Nobody’s Girl. In the book, she recounted first meeting Andrew in London when they went out for dinner and then to a nightclub with Epstein and his long-time associate Ghislaine Maxwell. She was 17 years old at the time, while Andrew was 41. Giuffre claimed they had sex for the first time after their night out, writing: “He was friendly enough, but still entitled – as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright.” During a BBC Newsnight interview in November 2019, Andrew denied that he had sex with Giuffre.
Consequences for Andrew
Charles formally stripped Andrew of the title of prince in November of the previous year. Andrew was arrested by British police in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his ties to Epstein. This followed reports that Andrew had passed trader information to the wealthy financier in 2010 while serving as a British special envoy. The former prince was released after being held for hours and was not charged with a crime.
Charles's Congressional Address
Charles is the second British monarch to address Congress, following his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who did so in 1991. In his speech, Charles emphasized the importance of NATO, particularly as the military alliance faces heavy scrutiny from President Donald Trump, most recently over its refusal to become directly involved in the Iran war. The king also acknowledged how executive power is “subject to checks and balances.” Meanwhile, the White House posted a photo on social media of Charles and Trump with the caption: “TWO KINGS.”
State Visit Itinerary
Charles and Camilla’s four-day state visit to celebrate 250 years of American independence began Monday with a garden party at the British Embassy in Washington. On Tuesday night, the royal couple attended a state dinner hosted at the White House. The king and queen are scheduled to visit New York and Virginia later this week.
