Additional Coverage:
- King Charles, Kate Middleton, Prince William heckled by protesters demanding answers on Andrew’s Epstein ties (foxnews.com)
Royal Family Greets Hecklers Amidst Andrew Scandal at Commonwealth Day Service
London, UK – The British royal family faced a chorus of dissent this week as anti-monarchy protesters gathered outside Westminster Abbey during their largest public assembly since the arrest of former Prince Andrew last month. The demonstration, organized by the group Republic, coincided with the annual Commonwealth Day celebration on Monday.
King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Kate Middleton were met with bright yellow signs bearing pointed questions such as “What did you know?” as they arrived for the service. Other placards declared “Not my king,” “Down with the Crown,” and “Ditch the Duchies,” reflecting growing public sentiment against the monarchy.
Protesters also displayed enlarged photographs, including one of Andrew with Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre and another from the Jeffrey Epstein files showing Andrew in a compromising position. Both images were accompanied by the question, “What did you know?”
A banner further queried, “Charles, what are you hiding?” Another poster featuring Charles, William, and Andrew (now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor) smiling, demanded a “Royal Epstein Enquiry.”
Andrew was arrested on February 19th on suspicion of misconduct in public office in connection with his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. He was released after 11 hours in custody and has not been charged, consistently denying all allegations against him.
Following Andrew’s arrest, King Charles, who had previously stripped his younger brother of his royal titles, including “prince,” issued a statement through Buckingham Palace. The King expressed “deepest concern” regarding the news and emphasized that “the law must take its course,” pledging the family’s “full and wholehearted support and co-operation” to the investigative process. He refrained from further comment, stating his family would continue their duty and service.
Andrew was notably absent from Monday’s gathering, having been ordered by the King last fall to relocate from his Royal Lodge residence in Windsor to a smaller home on the Sandringham Estate. The Commonwealth Day service was attended by King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne, and the Duke of Gloucester. Sarah Ferguson, Princesses Beatrice, and Eugenie were also not present.
King Charles’s annual speech at the event steered clear of any mention of Andrew, instead focusing on global issues such as war, conflict, and climate change.
Graham Smith, a spokesperson for Republic, indicated to Channel 5 News in the U.K. that public support for the monarchy has seen a decline, largely attributed to widespread anger over the Andrew scandal. “There’s genuine sort of concern about what people knew,” Smith stated, adding that the question is being raised “not just by us, but by royalists and royal journalists and commentators.” He believes the heckling reflects a broader public mood and is therefore resonating significantly.