Overview
- King Charles referred broadly to supporting 'victims' in his Tuesday speech to Congress after U.S. lawmakers expected a direct nod to Jeffrey Epstein’s survivors, and a palace aide later said the line was intended to include abuse victims.
- Buckingham Palace has rejected in-person meetings with survivors during the U.S. visit, saying any comments or encounters could prejudice active U.K. investigations tied to Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor.
- Rep. Ro Khanna hosted a Capitol Hill roundtable with survivors and advocates after his meeting request was denied, and he criticized the omission as a missed chance to acknowledge their pain and to hear them directly.
- Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office over alleged sharing of sensitive information with Epstein, a development that palace lawyers cite in warning that royal statements could influence legal proceedings.
- The dispute unfolds as Congress-driven releases of millions of Epstein-related files fuel calls for more transparency and reforms such as Virginia’s Law to end civil time limits for sexual abuse claims, while Queen Camilla used the visit to meet advocates working on domestic violence.