On Tuesday night, September 16, 2025, Windsor Castle—one of Britain’s most iconic royal residences—became the unlikely stage for a dramatic political protest. As President Donald Trump arrived in the United Kingdom for his unprecedented second state visit, activists projected a series of provocative images onto the castle’s ancient stone walls, connecting Trump with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The spectacle, which included Trump’s mugshot and an alleged birthday letter, led to the swift arrest of four individuals and has since ignited debate on both sides of the Atlantic over political accountability, royal scandal, and the enduring shadow cast by Epstein’s crimes.
According to Reuters, the incident unfolded just as Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were settling in for their stay at Windsor Castle, about 25 miles west of London. The projections included a 1997 photograph of Trump and Epstein at Mar-a-Lago, a mugshot of Trump from his recent legal troubles in Atlanta, and even a crude birthday message Trump allegedly sent Epstein in 2003. The latter, released by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives just days earlier, features a sketch of a naked woman and the words, “May every day be another wonderful secret.” The White House has vehemently denied the authenticity of the letter, but its appearance on the castle’s towers ensured that the controversy would follow Trump across the Atlantic.
Thames Valley Police responded with urgency. In a statement quoted by The Independent, Chief Superintendent Felicity Parker declared, “We take any unauthorised activity around Windsor Castle extremely seriously. Our officers responded swiftly to stop the projection and four people have been arrested.” All four suspects, whose names have not been released, remain in custody as of Wednesday morning, September 17. The police are conducting what they describe as a “thorough investigation” into the circumstances of the protest.
The protest was not an isolated act of vandalism, but a carefully orchestrated demonstration by activist groups determined to highlight Trump’s past association with Epstein. Gray News reports that one group, Everyone Hates Elon, raised more than £30,000 (over $40,000 USD) from the British public to fund what they called the “world’s largest photo” of Trump and Epstein, measuring over 4,300 square feet. The massive banner was unfurled near Windsor Castle earlier in the day, while the projection itself was later claimed by the group Led by Donkeys, known for their viral political stunts. Their video montage included not only the infamous images and mugshot, but also newspaper headlines, footage of Trump and Epstein dancing, and clips referencing Epstein’s victims and the ongoing investigations into his crimes.
The protest coincided with Trump’s arrival for his state visit, during which he was hosted at Windsor Castle by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. As Bracknell News noted, Trump is the first U.S. president to receive a second state visit to the U.K.—a fact he touted to reporters, recalling his previous stay at Buckingham Palace and describing Windsor Castle as “the ultimate.” The visit’s official agenda included meetings with King Charles III and political talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, the prime minister’s country residence. The British government, according to Gray News, hoped to use the occasion to advance a multibillion-dollar technology deal with the U.S., reinforcing trans-Atlantic ties despite ongoing disagreements over Ukraine and the Middle East.
But the pageantry of statecraft was quickly overshadowed by the scandal. The projection stunt, and the images it showcased, revived uncomfortable questions about Trump’s long association with Epstein—a relationship that soured in the mid-2000s, years before Epstein’s 2019 suicide in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial on federal child sex trafficking charges. As NBC News pointed out, Trump himself has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, insisting that he had a falling out with Epstein “a long time ago” and had not spoken to him “for 15 years.” In July, Trump claimed the rift began after Epstein “stole” staff from Mar-a-Lago. Former Attorney General Bill Barr, in a deposition released by the U.S. House Oversight Committee, testified that he was unaware of any evidence suggesting Epstein procured women for Trump.
The birthday message at the heart of the protest has become a political flashpoint. Released by the House Oversight Committee after subpoenaing Epstein’s estate, the letter’s authenticity is disputed by Trump and the White House. Nonetheless, its public display at Windsor Castle—alongside images of Epstein’s victims, news clippings, and police reports—has kept the issue in the headlines. Appetite for details about Epstein’s crimes, and speculation about who else may have been involved, remains high both in the U.S. and U.K.
The fallout from the Epstein scandal has not been limited to Trump. As Reuters and The Independent both report, the U.K.’s own establishment has been rocked by revelations of close ties to Epstein. Last week, Prime Minister Keir Starmer dismissed the British ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, after documents surfaced showing Mandelson referred to Epstein as his “best pal.” The scandal has also ensnared King Charles III’s brother, Prince Andrew, who stepped back from public duties in 2019 and was stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages in 2022 after settling a sexual abuse lawsuit brought by Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre. Giuffre, who accused Andrew of abusing her when she was 17, died by suicide earlier this year—a tragic reminder of the human cost behind the headlines.
Epstein’s accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for procuring underage girls for abuse. The U.S. House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the Epstein case has subpoenaed several high-profile former officials, including Merrick Garland, Hillary Clinton, and Bill Clinton, seeking greater transparency after the FBI and Justice Department declined to release additional files related to Epstein’s activities. Trump, seizing on the controversy during his campaign, has promised more openness, though critics remain skeptical.
Meanwhile, the protest at Windsor Castle has become a flashpoint for broader public discontent. Dozens of anti-Trump demonstrators gathered in Windsor on the night of the projection, and thousands more planned to protest in London, though Trump’s itinerary was carefully managed to avoid public appearances in the capital. The incident has reignited debate about the limits of protest, the role of political art, and the responsibilities of public figures—royal or presidential—when confronted with uncomfortable truths from their past.
As the four arrested protesters await their fate and investigations continue, Windsor Castle stands as a symbol not only of royal tradition but also of the power of public dissent. The images projected onto its walls may have lasted only minutes, but the questions they raise about justice, accountability, and the lingering legacy of Jeffrey Epstein will echo far longer—on both sides of the Atlantic.
