Prince William, Kate ‘deeply concerned’ by Andrew’s Epstein ‘revelations’

Prince William and Catherine, the Princess of Wales have broken their silence on the escalating scandal surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor just hours before a high-profile visit to Saudi Arabia.

The royal couple, via a Kensington Palace spokesperson on Monday, said they are “deeply concerned” about “continuing revelations” surrounding the former Duke of York related to his relationship with the late Jeffrey Epstein.

“I can confirm the Prince and Princess of Wales have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations,” the spokesperson told journalists, who had travelled to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia to cover William’s official three-day visit.

“Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”

The statement was the first they had made regarding the ongoing Epstein scandal, and came just days after Andrew’s brother, Prince Edward, became the first in the family to speak publicly on the matter while in Dubai.

Asked by a journalist how he was coping amid the crisis, the Duke of Edinburgh responded: “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 this.”

In October, King Charles released a statement via Buckingham Palace announcing that Andrew was to be stripped of his “prince” title with other honours, and was being formally evicted from Royal Lodge.

The bombshell message finished with a note from both the King and Queen, stating that they “wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse”.

Andrew had previously been accused of having sex with a then-17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, nee Virginia Roberts, while she was being trafficked by Epstein.

Among the more recent claims are that a second woman was also sent to the UK by the late billionaire for a sexual encounter with Andrew, which it is alleged occurred on royal property.

Andrew has always vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

The Wales’ statement came as British authorities confirmed on Monday that they are assessing allegations that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor shared with Jeffrey Epstein confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy.

The claims were made following the US Department of Justice’s release of the latest batch of documents in the Epstein files, many of which relate to the disgraced former Duke of York.

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