King Charles is said to be feeling the strain as fresh scrutiny falls on his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, over the latest Epstein scandal revelations.
According to a long-time friend of the monarch, the unfolding headlines have left the king deeply troubled, both as a brother and as head of state.
The claims come after the king and Buckingham Palace confirmed last week that they would support a police investigation into the disgraced royal, following renewed attention surrounding his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s Epstein revelations
The former prince has faced years of controversy over his association with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The former Duke of York, 65, has also been accused of sexual assault. The late Virginia Giuffre alleged she was made to have sex with Andrew on three occasions when she was 17 after being trafficked by Epstein.
Andrew has consistently and firmly denied all allegations made against him by Ms Giuffre.
In recent weeks, the US Department of Justice released more than three million files connected to Epstein and his crimes. Among them were images appearing to show Andrew on all fours, kneeling over an unidentified female lying on the ground. No context has been provided for the photographs, and it is unclear when they were taken.
Being named or pictured in the Epstein files does not in itself suggest wrongdoing. Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.
The files also reportedly suggest that Andrew passed confidential information to Epstein in 2010 during his time as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment.
King Charles’ ‘reaction’ to Andrew’s Epstein revelations
Now, insight into the king’s reported private response has emerged.
Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Jonathan Dimbleby, a friend of the monarch and royal biographer, said he “would strongly believe” that the king would “very much like” his brother to testify before US Congress.
Dimbleby also suggested that King Charles will be “appalled” by the allegations surrounding Andrew.
“It would be astonishing if he wasn’t concerned. Appalled by the allegations. And, of course, affected as his role as monarch because the headlines are all about this. No institution wants that,” he said.
He added: “[Charles] emotions… he is very good at withstanding pressure. I think he will be feeling the pain of this.”
Dimbleby suggested the king’s actions already speak volumes, pointing to the decision to strip Andrew of his titles and remove him from Royal Lodge.
‘But he is his brother’
Despite the public fallout, Dimbleby made clear that family ties remain.
“But he is a brother. Now, they may not be that close, but he is nonetheless a brother,” he said.
He went on: “I suspect now that [Andrew] has been banished to an open prison somewhere on the Sandringham Estate, [Charles] will be sensing to give duty of care. This man [Andrew] is a broken, finished man at best.”
Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
Read more: British public’s ‘verdict’ on royal family’s handling of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor scandal
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