🔗 Share this article King Charles Encounters Protest Over Prince Andrew's Epstein Ties In the course of a public appearance to Lichfield Cathedral on the start of the week, King Charles was shouted at by a man who questioned him about his brother's relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The man inquired how long the King had been aware about his sibling's association with Epstein, and also questioned whether he had asked the authorities to "cover up" for Andrew. Amid the heckling, there were crowds of supporters and cheers for the King, who was visiting the region for an ceremony. The Duke of York's links with Jeffrey Epstein have been under intense scrutiny in the past few weeks. The royal, who gave up his titles earlier this month, has strongly denied any misconduct. "How long have you been aware about Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein? Did you request the authorities to cover up for Andrew?" The King did not respond but continued greeting fans, some of whom chanted "God Save The King". One fan can be heard asking him for a hug. Another woman outside the venue was also observed telling the protester to "leave" and to "be quiet". Controversy Reignited by Memoir The scandal over the Duke of York's connections to Epstein has been revived by misconduct allegations detailed in Virginia Giuffre's posthumously-published memoir. In the memoir, the accuser says she had sex with the prince on multiple times, including one instance with Epstein and "eight other young girls" Prince Andrew, who agreed to a financial settlement with the plaintiff in recent years, has consistently denied any misconduct. In a previous interview, he told BBC Newsnight he did not recall meeting her "at all", and that they "did not have any sort of sexual contact." New Inquiries About Finances and Housing But in recent times, new inquiries have been asked about how he is able to fund his way of life despite not being a working royal. The disclosure that he has only ever paid a nominal fee on his Windsor mansion has heightened the scrutiny over his living arrangements - even though he made significant contributions initially, including for improvements. The Liberal Democrats said he should be summoned before members of parliament to give evidence about his rental agreement of his residence. But last week, the authorities declined to give parliamentarians time to debate the royal's titles or his residence, despite increasing calls for scrutiny. The royal household has not issued a statement on whether the Duke of York might move out of his current residence - or where he might reside. Associated Issues Prince Andrew British Monarchy The Monarch