In an earlier era, Britain’s royal family might have tried to bury the scandal surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Not during the reign of King Charles III.
Britain’s royal family has struggled to respond to Mountbatten-Windsor’s behavior since 2010, when Virginia Guiffre alleged that Epstein took her to Britain to have sex with the man who was then the prince of the realm. (File Photo/AP)Since October, the king has stripped his younger brother of the right to call himself a prince, forced him to move from the royal estate he has occupied for more than 20 years, and issued a public statement in support of women and girls abused by Epstein.
Then came Monday’s unprecedented announcement that Buckingham Palace was ready to cooperate with the police investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Epstein.
Charles was forced to act after the US Justice Department released millions of pages of documents detailing his relationship with Mountbatten-Windsor and torpedoing claims that he severed ties with the financier after he was convicted of prostitution of a minor in 2008.
A break with the pastFifty or 100 years ago, “you can imagine gentlemen’s agreements” that “wanted to bury this kind of story,” says Ed Owens, “After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?”
“But, thankfully, we live in a more democratic age where people are properly accountable for their actions. In taking the moral high ground – and that’s what King is doing here – the monarchy is very clearly signaling that it recognizes that public opinion demands that justice be served and that it is willing to comply with police investigations.”
The king’s latest move was sparked by allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor sent Epstein confidential reports from a 2010 trip to Southeast Asia, which he took as Britain’s envoy for international trade. The letter was uncovered when reporters pored over Justice Department files.
Evaluation of police complaintsThames Valley Police, an agency that covers areas west of London including the former home of Mountbatten-Windsor, said on Monday it was “evaluating” the reports. The police statement quickly brought a response from the palace.
“Through words and unprecedented actions, the King has made clear his deep concern about the allegations about Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct that are about to come to light,” the palace said in a statement. “While the specific claims in question are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if Thames Valley Police contact us we stand ready to support them as you would expect.”
Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing in her relationship with Epstein.
The Palace announcement was splashed across British newspapers on Tuesday, with The Sun tabloid running its front page with the headline “King: We’ll help cops on Andy.”
Efforts to contain the scandalThe palace’s pledge to cooperate with police is the latest in a series of moves designed to isolate Mountbatten-Windsor and shield the rest of the royal family from scandal, said Craig Prescott, an expert on constitutional law and the monarchy at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Although the revelations about Mountbatten-Windsor have tarnished the family’s reputation, support for the monarchy remains strong, Prescott said.
“As long as it’s in Prince Andrew, I think the monarchy is relatively safe,” she said of the scandal.
Britain’s royal family has struggled to respond to Mountbatten-Windsor’s behavior since 2010, when Virginia Guiffre alleged that Epstein took her to Britain to have sex with the man who was then the prince of the realm. Giuffre, who was just 17 at the time, died by suicide last year.
But under the late Queen Elizabeth II, who sought to protect royal secrecy with a philosophy of “never complain, never explain,” the palace remained largely silent.
It became disabled in 2019 when Mountbatten-Windsor gave a disastrous interview to the BBC. Instead of silencing his critics, after Royal offered implausible explanations for his behavior and Epstein’s victims. The interview only escalated the scandal after failing to show sympathy.
Soon after the interview, Elizabeth forced her second son to give up his royal duties and his work with charities around the country.
But the man who was reputed to be the Queen’s favorite child was Prince Andrew until last fall.
King takes actionThen in October the publication of an unflattering book about the prince’s sense of entitlement and the open disclosure of Justice Department files prompted the king to strip his remaining royal titles, including the right to call his brother a prince.
Charles ordered his brother to vacate Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion near Windsor Castle owned by the crown and run for the benefit of taxpayers.
Mountbatten-Windsor left her longtime home last week ahead of schedule. He now lives on the Sandringham estate in East England, which is privately owned by the monarch.
Fallout from the scandal remains a “huge problem” for the future of the monarchy, Owens said.
The king’s decision to co-operate with possible investigations means the palace could turn over documents and allow staff or even members of the royal family to be interviewed by police.
“It’s going to be more unwanted headlines,” Owens said. “But that’s how you exorcise the demon of Jeffrey Epstein.”
