Republican group unfurls Andrew-Epstein banner in Buckingham Palace

A group of anti-monarchy activists unfurled a banner depicting the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and former Duke of York, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, younger brother of Britain’s monarch King Charles III, in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace on Monday (July 13, 2026).

Photos released by the group, Republic, showed two individuals holding up a banner of Mountbatten-Windsor walking with Epstein and another banner in front of it with the words, “What did you know?” written across it. The Palace was aware of the incident.

“Republic activists have taken questions about Andrew to the heart of the royal household, the symbolic home of the monarchy,” Republic CEO Graham Smith said in a statement.

Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his royal titles by the King last year. The King and Queen Camilla had expressed their “utmost sympathies” at the time with victims of abuse. The former Duke has denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

Mr. Smith raised the issue of how much Britain’s King Charles III and the Prince of Wales, William, knew about the former Duke of York Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Epstein.

“It is simply not believable to think that Charles and William weren’t briefed years ago about the numerous allegations against Andrew,” he said in a statement.

Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in New York City in 2019. Mountbatten-Windsor has also been under investigation by Thames Valley Police for alleged misconduct in public office pertaining to his time as a British trade envoy, leading to his brief arrest in February this year. The arrest was not directly linked to sexual offences but the alleged unlawful sharing of information with Epstein.

Republic said it had been pursuing a possible private prosecution of Andrew, as police prepare to interview Epstein’s victims in the U.S.

Police are also reportedly travelling to the U.S. to speak with the family of the woman who died by suicide last year and had alleged that she was trafficked at the age of 17 to Mountbatten Windsor.

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416. and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)