Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Jeffrey Epstein scandal: what the British royals have said on the record

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, has fallen from grace due to his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, and through it all, his family has remained focused on the victims. The disgraced royal first addressed his friendship with the late convicted pedophile during his disastrous 2019 interview with Newsnight. Days later, Queen Elizabeth‘s second son announced that he would be stepping back from public duties. 

“It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support. 

“Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission,” Andrew said in his statement at the time.

“I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure. I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. 

“Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required,” he continued. 

It would be another six years before Andrew agreed to no longer use his title or honours that had been conferred upon him. The decision on October 17 came ahead of the release of Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre‘s memoir, Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice. In her book, Virginia alleged that she was forced to have sex three times with King Charles‘ brother Andrew.

By the end of that October, His Majesty had initiated a formal process to remove his brother’s style, titles and honours. Formal notice to surrender the lease to Andrew’s home, Royal Lodge, had also been served. “These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” the palace explained in a statement, adding: “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”

Prince Edward

© Getty

Since the U.S. Department of Justice published more than three million Epstein files on January 30, which included a photo of the former Duke of York on all fours, hovering over a woman, additional members of the royal family have spoken out about the victims.  

Andrew’s younger brother Prince Edward broke the family’s silence on the Epstein files while at the World Governments Summit in Dubai in early February. Asked how he was coping, the Duke of Edinburgh replied: “Well, with the best will in the world, I’m not sure this is the audience that is probably the least bit interested in that. They all came here to listen to education, solving the future, and, but no, I think it’s all really important, always, to remember the victims and who are the victims in all this.”

The Waleses

© Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Less than two weeks after the new batch of Epstein documents had been released, the Prince and Princess of Wales commented on the files for the very first time via a spokesperson. Prince William and Catherine were described as being “deeply concerned” by the ongoing revelations. In a statement, a spokesman for the royal couple said: “I can confirm The Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”

As HELLO!’s royal editor Emily Nash pointed out: “If there’s one thing we know about William, it’s that if he has something to say, he will say it. There has been a clamour for some kind of comment from the heir to the throne, so this will go some way to answering that, even if it doesn’t go quite as far as some commentators might like.”

It’s understood that the King had the support of the wider family, including his elder son Prince William, who is the heir to the throne, when it came to removing Andrew’s title, honours and style in 2025.  

Police have the King’s support

© Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

The same day as the Waleses’ statement, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson reiterated that the King and Queen’s thoughts remain with victims of abuse. The palace’s statement came after the Thames Valley Police had advised media that they were assessing claims concerning Andrew allegedly sharing confidential data.

In the statement, the palace spokesperson said: “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. 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. As was previously stated, Their Majesties’ thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse.”

While the King himself has been heckled over his brother Andrew’s links to Epstein, HELLO!‘s Emily Nash has previously noted that His Majesty and Prince William are “learning about these allegations in real time, so it’s a developing situation”, and that “surely the person who needs to apologise and take responsibility for this whole situation is Andrew himself”.