Why King Charles and Queen Camilla will not meet Epstein survivors during US State Visit

His Majesty's brother has separately been accused of having girls trafficked by the late financier to have sex with, allegations he has always denied.

Mr Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest on suspicion of alleged misconduct in public office does not relate to the separate claims about alleged wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, in respect of which there have been no arrests or charges.

Following confirmation from Buckingham Palace and the White House that a historic State Visit would be going ahead at the end of this month, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who co-sponsored a law forcing the US Justice Department to release the Epstein files, wrote to the King to ask him to meet with survivors privately.

A source close to His Majesty suggested Charles and Camilla would not be able to meet with survivors during the State Visit to avoid obstructing police investigations in the United Kingdom.

Congressman Khanna branded the excuse "ridiculous" and told The Times: "It’s disappointing. He’s certainly able to meet them. We made it very clear that none of the specific facts regarding his brother would be discussed.

"We made it clear that uncomfortable questions would not be asked, such as when did the Royal Family know about allegations concerning his brother, such as how many times did Epstein actually visit the royal court, such as why did the King not speak out earlier regarding his brother."

Tonight, sources insist the King and Queen will still not be able to meet survivors of Epstein. However, I understand Queen Camilla, who has spent years supporting survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, will be meeting organisations advocating for survivors and victims more generally during the State Visit.

A Buckingham Palace source has told GB News: "We fully understand and appreciate the survivors’ position, but can only reiterate that our position is clear that anything that could potentially impact on ongoing police inquiries and assessments and any potential criminal action that could result from that would be to the detriment of the survivors themselves in their pursuit of justice."

The source added: "His Majesty’s clear constitutional position, not least with regards to the judicial process, and even though the risk may be small that a meeting or any public comments could impact on those inquiries, or the proper course of the law, that is a risk that we simply can’t take, for the best interest for the survivors themselves."

Previously, Buckingham Palace said the King's "sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse".

On the one hand, the Palace may be rightly cautious about any such meeting due to the King's constitutional position as Head of State, and the potential for any future trial being prejudiced.

Every criminal conviction in the United Kingdom is pursued by the Crown Prosecution Service, and there could be a risk that leaks from any meeting with the man who wears the Crown could force a judge to throw out a criminal case against a defendant, potentially denying justice to alleged survivors. This is despite Congressman Khanna's reassurances that "nothing uncomfortable" would be discussed.

Nonetheless, declining to meet Epstein survivors could risk public protests, or worse, a similar outburst from a disgruntled lawmaker - as Their Majesties experienced in October 2024.

During the King's address to Australian politicians at Parliament House in Canberra, Senator Lidia Thorpe heckled His Majesty, declaring "You are not my King" and "This is not your land". The outburst made headlines around the world.

Clearly, such outbursts are rare, but King Charles, accompanied by Queen Camilla, is scheduled to address Congress during the State Visit in Washington DC.

In a deeply polarised and emotionally charged country, it is not impossible that a US lawmaker would have a desire to stage some sort of protest inside the chamber.

Security will be tight, and any such protest would likely be shrugged off by King Charles, who's primarily visiting the United States to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and attempting to repair relations between the United Kingdom and the United States.

In recent weeks, President Trump has heavily criticised Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over his response to the war in Iran, and branded British warships "toys" compared to the United States' Navy.

Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey has called for the State Visit to be cancelled, suggesting King Charles is being put in a "difficult" position as Head of the Armed Forces.

However, the Prime Minister said this week: "Mature alliances are not about pretending differences don’t exist. They’re about addressing them directly, respectfully and with a focus on results."

The impression I'm getting from royal and political sources is that they think it is almost irrelevant who is in the White House or 10 Downing Street during the State Visit.

A spokesman for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office told GB News: "Yes, we are close allies, we do disagree on things, but that doesn’t detract from the value that both sides get from this relationship and have done over many decades."

President Trump and Sir Keir Starmer's days are numbered in high office, but King Charles has his job for life.

The history of Britain and the United States spans several monarchs and presidents, nurturing shared history and values.

This is the job of King Charles, and his heirs and successors: using soft power to remind us what unites us, rather than divides us.