3 days ago
20
Sean Seddonand Daniela Relph,Royal correspondent
Reuters
The Prince and Princess of Wales have been "deeply concerned" by the latest round of revelations about Jeffrey Epstein, a Kensington Palace spokesperson has said.
In their first public statement on the issue, a royal spokesperson said Prince William and Princess Catherine were "focused on the victims" in light of new information contained in documents related to the late sex offender released in the US.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is among those under renewed scrutiny over their past connections with Epstein.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: "I can confirm The Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations.
"Their thoughts remain focused on the victims."
The statement released on Monday by Kensington Palace makes no direct mention of Andrew but comes at a time when scandals surrounding the former prince risk overshadowing any other royal business.
It was published as Prince William prepared to begin an official visit to Saudi Arabia, a trip which has been viewed as highly significant diplomatically.
While reports have emerged in recent years that William favours a further cutting of ties with his disgraced uncle, he and other senior royals have largely refrained from commenting on the allegations against him.
Mountbatten-Windsor had a long-running friendship with Epstein and maintained contact with the American financier after his conviction for a child sex offence in 2008.
He has previously apologised for his past ties with Epstein but has strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
Buckingham Palace had said he would leave Royal Lodge in early 2026, but his departure appears to have been sped up, with the former prince now living on King Charles's privately-owned Sandringham Estate.
No context is supplied for the photos and it is unclear when and where they were taken.
He has previously questioned whether a picture of him with his arm around Guiffre had been doctored and claimed he had never met her. She alleged she was made to have sex with him as a teenager.
But in an email apparently written by Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is also in the image, in 2015, she said: "In 2001 I was in London when [redacted] met a number of friends of mine including Prince Andrew. A photograph was taken as I imagine she wanted to show it to friends and family."
He has always denied the claim and reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in 2022. It contained no admission of liability or apology.
The encounter allegedly occurred at his former Royal Lodge residence in 2010. The woman, who is not British, was in her 20s at the time.
Under official guidance, trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality over sensitive, commercial, or political information about their official visits.
But emails show the former prince passing on reports of visits to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam, and confidential details of investment opportunities, to Epstein.
