Harriet Harman urges Queen Camilla to meet Epstein victims: 'Hear my plea'

Dorothy Reddin
Wed, 15 Apr 2026 20:34:47 +0000

Baroness Harriet Harman, the UK's special envoy for women and girls, has urged Queen Camilla to agree to a meeting with Jeffrey Epstein's victims when the royal couple travels to America later this month.

The former deputy Labour leader argued that declining such a request would be at odds with the Queen's longstanding commitment to supporting survivors of abuse.

Speaking on LBC's Tonight With Andrew Marr, Baroness Harman suggested that turning away Epstein's victims whilst simultaneously meeting other survivors of male violence during the four-day state visit would contradict Camilla's established advocacy in this area.

Baroness Harman drew particular attention to the Queen's encounter with French rape survivor Gisele Pelicot at Clarence House, where Camilla embraced her and subsequently wrote to her following her courageous legal battle in France.

"Remember, she met Gisele Pelicot in Clarence House, and hugged her and wrote to her after her amazing standing up for her rights in France, and she's been asked to meet the Epstein victims," Baroness Harman said.

She expressed hope that the Queen would "hear my plea" and recognise the opportunity to demonstrate solidarity with the victims.

"And since they've asked to see her, if she refuses to see them when she is seeing other victims of abuse, it wouldn't sit with what she does all the time, and which she's been doing, actually, since long before she became Queen."

Royal sources have indicated that a meeting between the King and Queen and any Epstein survivors would be impossible under current circumstances.

Officials pointed to ongoing UK police investigations into matters connected to Epstein, alongside the King's constitutional position, as factors preventing such an encounter.

The legal implications of Charles and Camilla coming into contact with the convicted sex offender's victims were cited as a significant barrier.

Despite repeated requests from US Congressman Ro Khanna and relatives of Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, sources have confirmed the royal couple will not be meeting survivors during their trip at the end of April.

The state visit, marking King Charles's first trip to the US as monarch, will coincide with the 250th anniversary of American independence and launch celebrations across the nation.

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Queen Camilla has long championed the cause of abused women and sexual violence survivors, with plans during the visit to engage with organisations supporting victims of domestic abuse.

The Royal Family continues to grapple with the fallout from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's association with Epstein.

The former duke was recently arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office relating to his connection with the paedophile and has since been released under investigation.

Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing.