Even as he prepared for his most delicate diplomatic challenge to date in the form of a visit to Saudi Arabia, the Prince of Wales knew that he had to make clear his position on the extraordinary developments in the Epstein scandal.
Amid unprecedented times for the royal family, the Prince and Princess made their first public statement about the revelations contained in the so-called “Epstein files”, which have shown the extent of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
As the clamour grew for a response from the royal family, ahead of Prince William’s arrival in Saudi Arabia, Kensington Palace issued a carefully worded statement to clarify the couple’s feelings on the situation before his visit got under way.
“The Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations,” a spokesman told the travelling media. “Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”
Although the statement was concise, it was the first official insight into their take on the deepening crisis and unfolding scandal.
But sources have gone further, with one friend telling HELLO!: “Everyone knows William’s feelings about his uncle. He’s never had a close relationship with him.”
Later that day, when Thames Valley Police confirmed that it was assessing allegations that Andrew had shared with Epstein sensitive information acquired through his role as a UK trade envoy, Buckingham Palace said that it would “stand ready to support” detectives if approached, emphasising the King’s “profound concern”.
A spokesman reiterated that the King and Queen’s “thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse”. Andrew has always strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
Their Majesties had both been heckled while out on public engagements in the previous days, but stuck to their usual duties. And the Prince of Wales kept his focus firmly on the job in hand to pull off a masterclass in soft power during his first official visit to Saudi Arabia.
He had been tasked with cementing crucial ties with the Middle Eastern kingdom – and forging a friendship with its controversial leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – in what a spokesman for Kensington Palace described as “yet another example of the Prince representing the United Kingdom at the highest level on the global stage”.
William headed straight to meet his host from his RAF Envoy flight into Riyadh and the two future monarchs spent several hours together, first touring the Unesco World Heritage Site at At-Turaif, an exquisitely restored 15th-century Najdi mud-brick city in Diriyah, before an intimate private audience and evening meal.
The pair got on well and William appeared to have enjoyed their discussions, later revealing that it had been a “very late dinner”. He added: “We chatted about a lot of things. Very good.”
It was a positive start to a trip that had been billed as the UK Government’s “number one ask” of the heir to the throne, whose growing stature as an international statesman and the not-so-secret weapon in the country’s diplomatic arsenal has put him in high demand at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Despite the difficulties unfolding at home, the Prince put on his game face and headed out on a series of engagements to highlight Saudi Arabia’s rapid modernisation.
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