Prince Edward has become the first Royal Family member to speak out about Jeffrey Epstein, saying it was ‘really important always to remember the victims’.
The Duke of Edinburgh was asked ‘how are you coping’ when questioned during the World Governments Summit in Dubai today about the latest release of files.
Edward told CNN reporter Eleni Gioko: ‘Well, with the best will in the world, I’m not sure this is the audience that is probably the least bit interested in that.
‘They all came here to listen to education, solving the future, but no, I think it’s all really important always to remember the victims and who are the victims in all this? A lot of victims in this.’
It comes after more than three million documents were published by the US Department of Justice relating to the paedophile financier last Friday.
The bombshell papers have revealed more about Epstein’s contact with Edward’s disgraced older brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Edward’s response followed a long question from Giokos, who asked him: ‘And I have to say this, and it’s super important, because, you know, it’s been dominating headlines. We all know the last few days have been very interesting, very difficult.
‘And I’m sure for you sir as well, this is an important question to ask, and I want to ask it in the context of what we’ve seen from Their Majesties and their response. And they’re saying that we should be focused specifically on experience of the victims.
The Duke of Edinburgh is interviewed during the World Governments Summit in Dubai today
Prince Edward and the former Prince Andrew at Sandringham Church on Christmas Day 2023
‘The palace has been very, very clear on that. We’ve just heard some commentary from Prime Minister Keir Starmer as well, and bearing that in mind, and he’s saying that there needs to be assistance for the victims.
‘And I wonder what you think of this, because it is so close to home, clearly very difficult. And I know you’ve put in various plans in place to move the institution forward, but how are you coping with that?’
It comes as the King was urged to contact lawyers representing a woman who claims to have been sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew.
Andrew has featured in the Epstein documents on a number of occasions, with new images in the latest release appearing to show him crouched over an unidentified woman who is lying on the floor.
The former Duke of York was stripped of his titles by Charles last year after the posthumous publication of a book by Virginia Giuffre.
She also alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell when she was 17.
Andrew paid millions to Ms Giuffre, a woman he has claimed never to have met, to settle a civil sexual assault claim in 2022.
The former prince has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
