Prince Andrew's Epstein Ties Cause Major Headache for King Charles Ahead of Donald Trump’s Visit

Prince Andrew’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein continues to create trouble for King Charles as the British monarch prepares to host President Donald Trump at Windsor Castle from September 16.

Charles is committed to maintaining the U.K.’s special relationship with the U.S., especially during Trump’s unprecedented second state visit, according to a report.

This ongoing situation added embarrassment for Charles, who previously faced fallout after it was reported that Andrew had courted an alleged Chinese spy ahead of Trump’s arrival.

Andrew, 65, is officially off the guest list for the state dinner honoring the president and First Lady Melania Trump. While senior royals like Prince William and Kate Middleton will attend, the non-working royal Andrew will not receive an invite.

Multiple sources indicate Andrew fears he will never set foot in the U.S. again, citing concerns over arrest and prosecution. This marks a significant shift from Trump’s last visit in June 2019, when he held business meetings with the Duke of York.

Amid the uproar surrounding his friendship with Epstein and contacts with his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, Andrew was stripped of his military titles by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. Maxwell is currently imprisoned in the U.S. on s-- offense charges.

Andrew reportedly paid millions to Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre in February 2022 and made a “substantial donation” to her victims' rights charity to settle a lawsuit regarding allegations that he had s-- with her when she was just 17. Giuffre tragically died by suicide in April, aged 41. Despite the allegations, Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing and even claimed he never met Giuffre, despite a widely circulated photograph of the pair together.

Moreover, Andrew never shied away from his association with Epstein. He invited both Epstein and Maxwell to his daughter Princess Beatrice’s 18th birthday party in July 2006, which also included disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein among the guests.

Sources close to the royals assert that he won’t affect the special relationship between the U.S. and U.K. since he is no longer a working royal. Ahead of the upcoming state visit, Peter Mandelson, the British ambassador to the U.S., praised Trump as a “risk-taker,” acknowledging that the traditional diplomatic approach no longer suffices.

Trump was first welcomed to the U.K. in 2019 by the late Queen Elizabeth II. Traditionally, second-term presidents have not received state visits, being offered less formal meetings instead. As for this occasion, King Charles will not host Trump at Buckingham Palace, which is currently undergoing renovations.