Prince Edward has broken the royal family's public silence on the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, urging people to focus on the victims following the latest document release. The Duke of Edinburgh made his remarks at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, becoming the first senior royal to directly address the controversial files that continue to rock the monarchy.
Royal Response in Dubai
When questioned by CNN's Eleni Giokos about his thoughts on the new revelations, Prince Edward initially deflected, suggesting the summit audience might not be interested. 'I'm not sure this is the audience that is probably the least bit interested in that,' he stated. 'They all came here to listen to education, solving the future.'
However, he then delivered a carefully worded message: 'But no, I think it's all really important always to remember the victims, and who are the victims in all this?' This represents the first public commentary from any working royal since the latest batch of Epstein documents became public.
Brother Andrew's Controversial Photos
Edward's comments come just days after disturbing photographs emerged showing his older brother, Prince Andrew, in compromising positions. The three images depict:
- A man believed to be the disgraced former duke crouched on all fours over a woman lying on the floor
- The same individual staring directly into the camera in another scene
- The man placing his hand on the woman's abdomen in the third photograph
Sarah Ferguson's Epstein Connections
The document release has also revealed troubling connections between Epstein and Sarah Ferguson, Andrew's ex-wife. According to the files:
- Ferguson told Epstein to 'marry her' in email correspondence
- She reportedly visited Epstein in July 2009, shortly after he served a year in prison for soliciting a child for prostitution
- This visit occurred while Epstein was under house arrest at his Palm Beach mansion
At the time of this visit, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie would have been just 20 and 19 years old respectively. Sources close to the princesses suggest they are 'mortified' by their mother's connections to the convicted sex offender.
Buckingham Palace Invitations
Further revelations from the document dump include evidence that Prince Andrew:
- Exchanged emails with Jeffrey Epstein about a 'beautiful' Russian woman
- Invited Epstein to Buckingham Palace
- This contradicts Andrew's previous claims that he cut contact with Epstein after 2006
The former prince had stated he only reconnected with Epstein in late 2010 to formally end their relationship in person. These new documents suggest a more extensive and ongoing connection than previously acknowledged.
Ongoing Royal Fallout
The Epstein files continue to create significant challenges for the British royal family, raising serious questions about:
- The extent of Prince Andrew's involvement with Epstein
- Sarah Ferguson's ongoing relationship with the financier
- The timing of various interactions between royal family members and Epstein
Prince Edward's decision to address the matter publicly, however briefly, indicates the palace recognises the need for some response to the growing controversy. His focus on victims rather than the royal family's involvement represents a strategic attempt to redirect public attention while acknowledging the seriousness of the revelations.
