"Are deeply concerned" William and Kate comment on the Epstein case for the first time
The publication of new Epstein documents in the USA has once again put the British royal family under pressure. Now Prince William and Princess Kate have responded - with clear words and a focus on those affected.
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- For the first time, Prince William and Princess Kate have publicly expressed their "deep concern" about the new Epstein revelations and emphasized that their focus is clearly on the victims.
- The documents published in the USA once again increase the pressure on Prince Andrew, whose former closeness to Jeffrey Epstein is once again coming into sharp focus.
- Andrew has left his home earlier than planned, while calls for him to testify before the US authorities are growing louder.
Prince William and Princess Catherine are "deeply concerned" about the latest wave of revelations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein. This was announced by a spokesperson for Kensington Palace, reports bbc.co.uk.
In their first public statement on the matter, a royal spokesperson said the Prince and Princess of Wales were "focused on the victims" in light of new information in documents recently released in the US.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is among those under renewed scrutiny due to their previous links to Epstein.
A spokesperson for Kensington Palace said: "I can confirm that the Prince and Princess are deeply concerned about the ongoing revelations. Their thoughts continue to be with the victims."
Last week, Mountbatten-Windsor had already left his home in Windsor earlier than planned - in response to new information about his relationship with Epstein. Buckingham Palace had previously announced that he would leave Royal Lodge at the beginning of 2026. However, his departure appears to have been accelerated. The former prince now lives at King Charles' privately owned Sandringham estate.
Publication of the Epstein files puts royal under pressure
Prince Andrew, now just Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, maintained a close friendship with Epstein for years and kept in touch with the US financier even after his conviction for a sexual offense against a minor in 2008.
He had apologized in the past for his previous connections to Epstein, but always firmly denied any wrongdoing.
The publications in the USA have further increased the pressure on Mountbatten-Windsor. There are calls for him to testify before an American investigation.
The extensive documents published in the USA also include pictures that apparently show Mountbatten-Windsor kneeling on all fours over a woman. There is no context to the photos, and it is also unclear when and where they were taken.
The latest documents also appear to confirm that a known photo of Mountbatten-Windsor and his plaintiff Virginia Giuffre is genuine.
He had previously claimed that the picture of him with his arm around Giuffre could have been doctored and stated that he had never met her. Giuffre had accused him of being forced to have sex as a teenager.
In an email from 2015, presumably from Epstein's confidante Ghislaine Maxwell, who is also shown in the photo, she writes that she was in London in 2001 when [name redacted] met several of her friends - including Prince Andrew. The photo was taken to show friends and family.
Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied the allegations and reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in 2022. The agreement contained neither an admission of guilt nor an apology.
