Remember when Prince Andrew walked through Central Park in 2010 with Jeffrey Epstein – after Epstein's conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution?
That photograph sparked global outrage, but Andrew stayed silent for years while his association with the convicted sex trafficker deepened into the worst scandal in modern royal history.
Now Prince William and Kate have finally spoken – and their statement tells you exactly how desperate the royal family is to put distance between themselves and the man who used to be called "prince."
William and Kate's First Public Response Since DOJ File Dump
Kensington Palace released a statement Monday as William traveled to Saudi Arabia for an official visit.
"The Prince and Princess of Wales have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations," a spokesperson told the BBC.
"Their thoughts remain focused on the victims."
This marks the first time Britain's most popular royals have addressed the scandal since the Justice Department dropped over 3 million pages of Epstein documents on January 30.
Those files revealed the web of powerful people Epstein used to abuse women and girls – and showed Andrew's relationship with the sex offender continued even after his 2008 conviction.
The timing isn't coincidental.
New emails in the DOJ release show Andrew sent Epstein confidential trade reports from a 2010 Southeast Asia tour he took as Britain's envoy for international trade.
Andrew appeared to share his entire itinerary – Hanoi, Saigon, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong – with Epstein before the trip.
British police are now examining whether Andrew violated the Official Secrets Act by sharing government information with a convicted sex offender.
The Royal Family Can't Escape What Trump's DOJ Revealed
King Charles stripped his 65-year-old brother of all royal titles in October after earlier Epstein revelations.
Charles forced Andrew out of his 30-room mansion at Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle last week.
Andrew now lives on the king's private Sandringham estate in eastern England – temporarily at Wood Farm Cottage while his permanent home undergoes repairs.
Unlike Royal Lodge, which is owned by the crown and managed for taxpayers, Sandringham is privately owned by Charles.
The king wanted Andrew out of the public housing he'd been living in rent-free while stripped of royal duties.
But even Charles and Queen Camilla haven't commented directly on the newly released Epstein files.
Buckingham Palace keeps referring reporters to an October 30 statement: "Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse."
That statement came when Charles announced Andrew would be stripped of his titles.
The jeopardy the royal family faces showed Monday when Charles visited Lancashire in northwest England.
Most of the public clapped and waved British flags.
But one person shouted something the palace wishes would go away: "How long have you known about Andrew?"
The BBC reported that moment – the question hanging over the entire monarchy.
Andrew's Six-Year Downfall From War Hero to Pariah
Andrew was once celebrated as a decorated veteran of the Falklands War.
Now he's been thrown into the royal wilderness – not even invited to spend Christmas with his family at Sandringham.
The downfall started in 2019 with that catastrophic BBC interview where Andrew claimed he didn't sweat and was at Pizza Express during one of Virginia Giuffre's alleged encounters.
Experts called it "nuclear explosion level bad" and the worst royal PR crisis since Princess Diana's death.
Giuffre alleged Epstein trafficked her to Andrew on three occasions beginning when she was 17.
She claimed Epstein paid her $15,000 after she had sex with Andrew in London.
Andrew settled Giuffre's civil lawsuit out of court in February 2022 for an undisclosed sum.
He didn't admit wrongdoing, but acknowledged Giuffre's suffering as a victim of sex trafficking.
Giuffre died by suicide in April at age 41.
Her family released a statement after Andrew gave up his titles in October: "Prince Andrew's decision to give up his titles is vindication for our sister and survivors everywhere."
DOJ documents show Andrew maintained contact with Epstein far longer than he admitted.
In October 2025, British newspapers revealed Andrew sent Epstein an email on February 28, 2011 – more than two months after Andrew told the BBC he'd severed all ties.
The email said: "We are in this together and will have to rise above it."
That email made Andrew look like a liar in black and white.
What the Royal Family Knew and When They Knew It
The DOJ release includes photos showing Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell hunting with Andrew at Balmoral.
Another shows them with Andrew in the royal box at Ascot.
January documents show photographs of Andrew on all fours over a fully clothed woman lying on the floor, with images depicting him touching her stomach.
Epstein and Maxwell attended a Windsor Castle party hosted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 to mark Andrew's 40th birthday.
Andrew later invited them back to Windsor in 2006 for his daughter Princess Beatrice's 18th birthday ball, according to Britain's The Sun on Sunday.
The BBC revealed in October that Andrew hosted Epstein, Maxwell, and Harvey Weinstein – the disgraced film producer convicted of rape – at Royal Lodge.
All of this happened while Epstein's sex trafficking operation was active.
All of this happened before his 2008 conviction.
Prince William reportedly hired crisis management expert Liza Ravenscroft in January to help protect the monarchy from future scandals.
Royal experts say William and Kate recognize there's likely more material coming about Andrew's behavior.
William wants to run the monarchy like a military command center – proactive to head off scandals before they explode.
The statement Monday shows that strategy in action.
By speaking now, William and Kate create distance between the working royals and Andrew before the next revelation drops.
Because everyone knows there's more coming.
Trump's Justice Department released 3.5 million pages in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
The files came from five primary sources – the Florida and New York cases against Epstein, the New York case against Maxwell, investigations into Epstein's death, and multiple FBI investigations.
More than 500 DOJ attorneys and reviewers worked on the release.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in July the department reviewed everything and found nothing that allowed prosecution of anyone new.
But Blanche also admitted "mistakes are inevitable" in the redaction process.
Attorneys for survivors said the names of victims who'd never been publicly linked to Epstein appeared unredacted in the files.
A Wall Street Journal review found at least 43 victims' full names exposed – including more than two dozen who were minors when abused.
Some names appeared over 100 times.
The question shouted at King Charles keeps echoing: How long have you known about Andrew?
Sources:
- Ashley Carnahan, "Prince William, Princess Catherine 'deeply concerned' by Epstein files revelations, palace says," Fox News, February 9, 2026.
- Danica Kirka, "Prince William and Princess Catherine express deep concern for Epstein victims," Associated Press, February 9, 2026.
- "Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal," Wikipedia, accessed February 9, 2026.
- "Former Prince Andrew leaves his Windsor home," NBC News, February 6, 2026.
- "Prince Andrew's six-year downfall over Jeffrey Epstein ties," NBC News, October 19, 2025.
- "Massive trove of Epstein files released by DOJ," CBS News, January 30, 2026.
- "Department of Justice Publishes 3.5 Million Responsive Pages," U.S. Department of Justice, January 30, 2026.
