Prince Edward becomes first member of Royal Family to respond to shocking Epstein file photos of Andrew
Prince Edward has spoken out after further revelations about pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein's close ties with senior members of the British Royal Family have emerged in recent days.
Fresh information on King Charles' brother, who is now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor after having his royal titles stripped from him, were released by the Department of Justice on Friday, January 30.
Alongside a flurry of emails further showing Andrew's close relationship with Epstein after his 2008 conviction, the latest release also revealed disturbing images of the red-faced former Duke of York kneeling over a young female.
With Andrew's behavior continuing to plague the reputation of the British royals, his younger brother Prince Edward, now himself the Duke of York, has made a rare public comment about the issue after CNN's Eleni Giokos asked how he is 'coping' at a policy forum in Dubai.
Advert
Prince Edward at first, brushed off the question about his feelings by saying: "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."
But in light of the scores of victims that have come forward alleging to have been trafficked to Epstein, as well as the horrific and systematic abuse of children emerging in the Epstein files, the prince went further.
He added: "But no, I think it’s all really important always to remember the victims, and who are the victims in all this, a lot of victims in all this.”
These first comments from a member of the Royal Family come at a seismic moment at the top of the British state, as it's emerged that a number of leading figures continued to associate with Epstein after his conviction for child sex offences.
This includes then-Business Secretary and political fixer Peter Mandelson, whose 2024 appointment as the UK's Ambassador to the US is sparking calls for a national enquiry after it emerged that he had shared secret government documents with Epstein in the midst of the 2008 financial crisis.
But making matters worse for the royals is that the Epstein stain has spread beyond just Andrew, with his former wife Sarah Ferguson also being revealed as a confidante of the convicted pedophile, who she called her 'pillar'.
A 2009 email purported to be from the former Duchess of York to Epstein states: "I have never been more touched by a friends kindness than your compliment to me in front of my girls.
“Thank you Jeffrey for being the brother I have always wished for."
In another exchange, she congratulates Epstein on the arrival of a 'baby boy', even though there is no public record of the financier having any children.
Her and Andrew's own children are also grimly mentioned in the disclosed files, with Ferguson apparently organizing for Princess Eugenie and Beatrice to see Epstein just days after he was released from prison for soliciting child prostitution, in July 2009.
In an email to his accomplice, the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein states 'ferg and the two girls come [sic] yesterday,' just a day after Ferguson had emailed: "What address shall we come to.
"It will be myself, Beatrice and Eugenie. Are we having lunch?"
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Topics: Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew, Royal Family
William Morgan