On October 27, 2025, King Charles III found himself at the center of a public confrontation that underscores the mounting pressure on the British monarchy over Prince Andrew’s longstanding and controversial ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The incident unfolded outside Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire, where the King was meeting well-wishers and participating in a dedication ceremony. The calm of the royal walkabout was abruptly interrupted when a man in the crowd shouted, “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?”
The heckler, who was filming the encounter on his mobile phone, didn’t stop there. He pressed further, asking, “Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew? Should MPs be allowed to debate the royals in the House of Commons?” according to BBC and Fox News. The pointed questions, amplified by the crowd and shared widely on social media by anti-monarchy group Republic, echoed the growing calls for accountability and transparency within the royal family.
King Charles, maintaining his composure, did not respond to the heckler’s barrage. Instead, he continued greeting other visitors as security personnel moved in to manage the situation. The crowd’s reaction was swift and divided: some attendees told the protester to “shut up” and “go away,” while others chanted “God Save the King,” as reported by 1News and Fox News. A woman nearby expressed her frustration, saying, “Now look what you’ve done,” as the King was quietly ushered away from the confrontation.
This episode comes at a time when the monarchy is facing renewed scrutiny over Prince Andrew’s conduct and the royal family’s response to the allegations. Earlier in October, Prince Andrew, who turned 65 this month, announced he would “no longer use my title or the honors which have been conferred upon me,” stepping further away from public life. In an October 17 statement obtained by Fox News Digital, Andrew explained, “In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.”
The decision for Andrew to relinquish his Duke of York title and knighthood was prompted by the release of a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, a key accuser in the Epstein case. Giuffre’s memoir, Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, details her allegations that she was trafficked by Epstein and sexually abused by Prince Andrew when she was 17—claims Andrew has “strenuously denied,” according to Sky News and CNN. In her book, Giuffre wrote, “He was friendly enough, but still entitled — as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright.” She claimed she had sex with Prince Andrew three times and was paid $15,000 by Epstein for her encounters with “Randy Andy.”
The controversy deepened earlier this year when Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025. In 2022, Andrew made an undisclosed payment to settle a civil lawsuit brought by Giuffre in the United States, but the settlement did little to quell public skepticism or media scrutiny. According to multiple outlets, including CNN and The Sun, British police are now examining reports that, as far back as 2011, Andrew asked a police commissioner or a royal close protection officer to “dig up dirt” on Giuffre. The Metropolitan Police confirmed they are “actively looking into the claims.”
Meanwhile, Prince Andrew’s living arrangements have also come under the microscope. He has resided at Royal Lodge, a Windsor mansion, rent-free since 2003. However, with his further ostracism from royal duties, negotiations are reportedly underway for Andrew and Sarah Ferguson to move out. Andrew is said to be interested in Frogmore Cottage—formerly the home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle—while Ferguson is eyeing Adelaide Cottage, according to The Sun and SheKnows. The question of Andrew’s future residence is reportedly a sticking point in settlement discussions, as is the matter of compensation for funds spent on renovations.
Calls to strip Andrew of his remaining dukedom have grown louder, with only an act of parliament able to remove the title. Downing Street, however, has signaled reluctance, with officials suggesting the King would prefer not to see parliamentary time devoted to the issue. Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, told Sky News, “The royals need to be challenged, and if the politicians won’t do the job and the police won’t investigate, then more and more members of the public will be asking tough questions.” Smith confirmed that the heckler at Lichfield Cathedral was “one of our own members but doing their own thing.”
Despite the controversy swirling around his brother, King Charles continued with his royal engagements. After the incident at the cathedral, he laid flowers at the UK’s first national memorial commemorating LGBT armed forces, titled “An Opened Letter,” at the National Memorial Arboretum. There, he was joined by dozens of serving and former members of the armed forces, many of whom spoke openly about the trauma inflicted by the military’s former “gay ban.”
As for Prince Andrew, his public life appears to be at an end. He will not attend the royal family’s Christmas celebrations, and his absence from official royal duties has become permanent. Yet, the questions raised by the heckler at Lichfield Cathedral reflect a broader public demand for answers—a demand that shows no sign of abating. The Epstein scandal, after decades of silence and cover-up, continues to cast a long shadow over the House of Windsor, and the royal family’s attempts to move forward are repeatedly pulled back by the unresolved allegations and the search for accountability.
The events of October 27 serve as a stark reminder that, for the British monarchy, the past is never truly past. As the world watches, the pressure on King Charles and his family to address these issues with honesty and transparency remains as intense as ever.
