Why Kate Middleton & Prince William Are Finally Addressing Andrew's Epstein Controversy

Kate Middleton and Prince William have been publicly silent about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s ongoing Jeffrey Epstein crisis — until now.

On February 9, the royal couple’s spokesperson shared a statement to People, “I can confirm The Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”

The Prince and Princess of Wales have stayed out of Andrew’s global scandal in years past, but it became increasingly difficult to avoid as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released more documents related to the case. The breaking of their silence arrived as William started a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia.

The statement continued, “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.”

The royal family handled Andrew’s association with Epstein gingerly over the years, with Queen Elizabeth II slowly stepping her son back from public life in January 2022. After her death later that year, it became King Charles’ problem, along with the revelation that Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, also had strong ties to the convicted pedophile.

The disgraced couple gave Epstein and his then-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, access to their inner royal circles. Andrew threw a 39th birthday for Maxwell at Sandringham in 2000, and a snapshot of the former prince sprawled across the laps of five young women wound up in the Epstein files.

“Epstein and Maxwell did not gain proximity to Andrew by accident,” royal expert Andrew Lownie told the Daily Mail in December 2025. “Royal households are not casual environments. Access is controlled, invitations are extended deliberately, and boundaries are normally enforced with care. That Epstein was able to move as freely as he did raises uncomfortable questions not only about Andrew’s judgment but about the failure, or unwillingness, of those around him to intervene.”

With a 3.5 million pages dropped by the DOJ on January 30, the devastating news is hard for William and Kate to ignore — especially when the Prince of Wales is hoping for good publicity on tour. Behind the scenes, though, William was reportedly the “real architect” in getting his uncle’s royal titles yanked away.

“William made it clear this couldn’t drag on any longer,” a palace insider claimed. “He told his father that if Andrew didn’t go quietly, the family’s image would never recover.”

More on the royal family:

Before you go, click here all the biggest royal scandals in the past 50 years.