Prince Andrew implicated in Epstein scandal: Demand for justice grows as new details emerge
In the past few days, global attention has once again focused on the case of the now-deceased billionaire Jeffrey Epstein. In 2019, he was accused of trafficking minors and sexual assault. This Wednesday, a federal court officially declassified hundreds of documents related to Virginia Giuffre's lawsuit against Epstein's long-term friend and accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. The publicized records include the previously announced list of famous people associated with Epstein, each mentioned at various stages of the proceedings. Among those referred to in the disclosed documents are Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, and Donald Trump. The "Epstein list" includes names of well-known individuals, such as David Copperfield, Naomi Campbell, and Stephen Hawking.
8:57 AM EST, January 5, 2024
The disclosed list also includes Prince Andrew, who has been linked to the Epstein and Maxwell case for many years. It's important to remember that Virginia Giuffre has accused the prince of coercing her into sexual encounters three times when she was a minor. You might recall that the woman sued Andrew years later, resulting in a multimillion-dollar settlement. This scandal has deeply tarnished the image of King Charles's younger brother. Given recent developments and the subsequent declassification of documents, the prince may have to confront more severe repercussions.
According to the Daily Mail, following recent developments, Prince Andrew has been reported to the police. Representatives of the anti-British monarchy group, Republic, seek justice for the Duke of York in his homeland. In the documents released by the American court, Prince Andrew's name appears more than 70 times. Johanna Sjoberg testified that Prince Andrew allegedly groped her breast while posing in Epstein's apartment. Another woman has alleged that she was forced to engage in sexual activities with the duke while underage. The documents also mention that the prince supposedly partook in orgies with minors.
On Thursday, the head of the Republic organization, Graham Smith, announced that in light of the new details regarding "sexual assault and rape allegations against Andrew", his organization has informed the police. Smith also urged the British Metropolitan Police to take definitive action. As quoted by the Daily Mail, Smith lamented that no "serious investigation" has been conducted, no witnesses or the accused have been questioned, and no actions have been justified. He also issued an appeal to King Charles.
I call on the police to reopen this case, I call on the parliamentarians to discuss this matter, and I call on Charles to make a public statement and answer questions - stated the head of the anti-monarchist organization.
Demands for justice regarding Prince Andrew due to ties to Epstein
The leader of the anti-monarchy organization asserted his right to expect a response from both the government and the head of state. Smith pointed out that Andrew was representing the country and the crown at the time of the alleged offenses. Smith suggested that the prince's royal status might be helping him evade responsibilities.
At the time of the alleged crimes, Andrew was a government trade ambassador and an active royal family member. The case has been blurred and obscured for 11 years without any definitive action. The question that many people will ask themselves is straightforward: would we believe there would have been no investigation or charges against him if the accused were someone else? - the Daily Mail quotes Smith.
Spencer Kuvin, an American attorney who represented some of Epstein's victims in court, shares a similar viewpoint on Prince Andrew and the actions of the British police—in an interview with "Mirror", Kuvin stated that those associated with the billionaire, including the prince, needed more scrutiny. Pointing out that Prince Andrew has yet to provide adequate explanations to American investigators and has not "settled" the issue of his time spent with Epstein, Kuvin suggested that the British police must fulfill their duty by resuming the investigation into the case.
Interestingly, a source associated with the Palace told the Daily Mail that recent findings further implicating Andrew aren't surprising to the royal family. The Daily Mail's source suggests that these revelations might finally negate the prince's chances of resuming previous official duties. These new developments may have convinced King Charles that his brother could no longer engage in public service.