The Monarch Encounters Heckling Regarding His Brother's Jeffrey Epstein Ties

In the course of a public appearance to a cathedral in Staffordshire on Monday, the King was shouted at by a man who asked him about his brother's relationship with disgraced financier Epstein.

The man demanded to know how long the monarch had been aware about his brother's association with Epstein, and also raised doubts about whether he had asked the police to "hide" for Andrew.

Amid the heckling, there were crowds of supporters and cheers for the monarch, who was visiting Staffordshire for an ceremony.

The Duke of York's connections with Jeffrey Epstein have been under renewed focus in recent weeks. The royal, who gave up his titles earlier this month, has repeatedly denied any misconduct.

"For how long have you been aware about Prince Andrew and Epstein? Have you asked the police to cover up for him?"

The King remained silent but carried on meeting fans, some of whom chanted "Long live the King". One fan can be heard asking him for a hug.

Another woman outside the cathedral was also heard telling the protester to "go away" and to "be quiet".

Scandal Reignited by Posthumous Publication

The scandal over Prince Andrew's connections to Jeffrey Epstein has been brought back into focus by misconduct allegations detailed in Virginia Giuffre's recently released memoir.

In the memoir, the accuser claims she had sex with the prince on multiple times, including one instance with Jeffrey Epstein and "several other minors"

Andrew, who reached a out-of-court agreement with the plaintiff in recent years, has consistently denied any misconduct. In 2019, he told BBC Newsnight he did not recall meeting her "ever", and that they "did not have any sort of intimate relations."

Fresh Questions About Lifestyle and Housing

But in recent times, new inquiries have been raised about how he is able to finance his lifestyle despite not being a working royal.

The revelation that he has only ever paid a token annual rent on his Windsor mansion has intensified the examination over his housing situation - even though he made large payments up front, including for improvements.

The Liberal Democrats said he should be called in front of MPs to give testimony about his rental agreement of his residence.

But last week, the government refused to give parliamentarians time to discuss the prince's status or his home, despite growing pressure for scrutiny.

The royal household has not commented on whether the Duke of York might move out of his home - or where he might reside.

Associated Issues

• Prince Andrew
• UK Royal Family
• King Charles III