Royal Family Further Distances Itself from Disgraced Former Prince Andrew
The British monarchy continues to distance itself from the disgraced former Prince Andrew, with Prince William and his wife Catherine publicly expressing concern over mounting allegations against the ex-royal. In a significant development on Monday, Buckingham Palace stated it would support a potential police investigation into the matter.
Palace Statement and Police Investigation
In an official statement released Monday, Buckingham Palace declared it is "ready to support" the local Thames Valley Police force. This announcement came shortly after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor faced accusations of sharing confidential reports with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his tenure as U.K. trade envoy.
The Thames Valley Police force, which covers areas west of London including Windsor where the former royal maintains a residence, confirmed to both the BBC and CNN that it is examining email allegations made against Mountbatten-Windsor by the anti-monarchy organization Republic.
King Charles III's Position and Specific Allegations
The palace statement referenced King Charles III, Andrew's brother, noting that "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."
The statement continued: "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."
Media-reviewed emails suggest that Mountbatten-Windsor improperly transmitted reports from a 2010 Southeast Asia tour to Epstein while serving as Britain's international trade envoy between 2001 and 2011. These emails reportedly surfaced among millions of files released last month by the U.S. Department of Justice related to Epstein.
Activist Group's Complaint and Historical Parallels
Graham Smith, Republic's chief executive, confirmed through social media that he reported Mountbatten-Windsor for suspected misconduct in public office and breach of official secrets regarding these specific allegations. Smith drew parallels between these accusations and those against former British ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson, who was dismissed last year over his Epstein connections.
Smith wrote that he "cannot see any significant difference between these allegations and those against Peter Mandelson," who has faced accusations of sharing confidential U.K. government information with Epstein during his ministerial tenure.
Royal Family Reactions and Background Context
The potential police investigation emerged shortly after Prince William and Princess Catherine issued their first public statement addressing deepening allegations against William's uncle. The couple expressed that they "have been deeply concerned by the continued revelations" and emphasized that "their thoughts remain focused on the victims."
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal title last year following allegations that he sexually assaulted a minor introduced through Epstein. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding these accusations.
The activist group Republic did not immediately respond to media requests for comment regarding their allegations against the former royal.
