King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit the US at the end of April to mark the 250th anniversary of American Independence, according to reports. However, King Charles will not be able to meet with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein during his state visit to the US at the end of April, Buckingham Palace sources say. The exact reasons or legal advice behind this decision remain unclear, but it comes amid heightened scrutiny of the royal family's connections to the Epstein case.
Pressure for a meeting has mounted from U.S. politicians and survivors. Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna wrote a letter to King Charles asking him to privately meet with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's abuse. Epstein survivor Rina Oh is prepared to wait outside the White House to meet with King Charles during his state visit, according to reports. Another survivor, Teresa Helm, believes a meeting between survivors and the Monarch would help criminal investigations on both sides of the Atlantic. Lawyer Gloria Allred urged King Charles to make even a gesture to meet with Epstein victims during his US visit, sources said, emphasizing the symbolic importance of such an encounter.
I appreciate the solemnity of the occasion and your celebration of our 250 years of independence. As author of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, I respectfully ask that you privately meet with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's abuse, so they may speak to you directly about the ways powerful individuals and institutions failed them. Survivors want this meeting.
The controversy is linked to the King's brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was arrested by Thames Valley Police in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, according to reports. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. He was accused of sexual abuse by Virginia Giuffre, a claim that has drawn significant media attention and legal proceedings.
The family of Virginia Giuffre strongly urges King Charles to meet with survivors, according to reports, highlighting the ongoing impact of the allegations on victims and their loved ones.
I make this request in light of recent developments in the United Kingdom, including renewed scrutiny of individuals and institutions with ties to Epstein and his network. These developments have raised serious questions about conduct, access, and whether positions of public trust were misused or whether public institutions helped shield wrongdoing.
Buckingham Palace said in October that Their Majesties' thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. King Charles has not ruled out a future meeting with Epstein survivors, sources indicate, leaving open the possibility for engagement beyond the current state visit. This stance reflects the palace's balancing act between diplomatic protocols and public pressure for accountability.