Prince Edward Breaks Silence on Andrew Issue After New Epstein Files: 'Remember the Victims'
Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of child sexual abuse that some readers may find distressing.
For decades, the royal family has relied on its most famous mantra — 'never complain, never explain.' But the release of the latest tranche of Jeffrey Epstein documents has made that position increasingly difficult to maintain. This week, the long-held wall of silence finally cracked, if only slightly, when Prince Edward became the first senior royal to publicly acknowledge the scandal.
Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Tuesday, February 3, the Duke of Edinburgh addressed the issue with measured restraint. Without naming names, the 61-year-old stressed that the focus should remain firmly on those who suffered harm. “It’s really important to remember the victims,” Edward told CNN journalist Eleni Giokos during an on-stage interview, according to The Independent. “And who are the victims in all this? A lot of victims in all this,” he added.
Edward’s remarks came days after the US Department of Justice released a fresh set of documents that once again placed his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, under intense scrutiny. The former Prince, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing, has been linked anew to Epstein through alleged email correspondence contained in the filings. The latest disclosures have proven especially damaging. In addition to the emails, a second woman has now come forward with allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor forced her to have sex with him.
Brad Edwards, of the US law firm Edwards Henderson, previously said his client — who is not British and was in her twenties at the time — spent the night with the former Duke at Royal Lodge in 2010 and was later given a tour of Buckingham Palace, according to The Guardian. In a statement to PA Media, Brittany Henderson (also of Edwards Henderson), said the former Duke of York’s royal status was central to the alleged abuse.
Additionally, emails exchanged between Epstein and an account identified as 'The Duke' on August 11 and 12, 2010, came to the forefront. In the messages, Epstein suggested introducing 'A' to a 26-year-old Russian woman. The account replied that he would be in Geneva “until the morning of the 22nd, but would be delighted to see her,” before asking: “Will she be bringing a message from you? Please give her my contact details to get in touch.”
Public anger has since reached a new high. Last year in October, a protester heckled King Charles during a public engagement. “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?” the man yelled, accusing the Palace of covering up allegations. The King appeared to hear the remarks but did not respond, continuing to greet members of the public. Some onlookers reacted angrily to the interruption, urging the protester to stop as security officers moved the King away to continue the walkabout.
In a separate incident, another man in the crowd shouted similar accusations, this time at the Waleses, asking whether the royal family had been covering up Mountbatten Windsor’s links to Epstein. Other members of the public quickly tried to silence him, while security intervened and asked him to calm down. Prince William and Kate Middleton did not respond and carried on with their visit as planned.
If you are being subjected to sexual assault, or know of anyone who is, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)