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King Charles III faced a public interruption during a walkabout in Clitheroe, Lancashire, on Monday, February 9, when a member of the crowd shouted a question about his brother, Prince Andrew, and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The 77-year-old monarch had just arrived at the town’s train station and was greeting well-wishers when a man called out: “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?”
Witnesses reported that most of the crowd, many waving Union flags, reacted by booing the heckler and shouting “shut up.” Charles continued to meet members of the public and did not respond to the remark.
This is the second public disruption Charles has faced in less than a week. During a visit to Essex, a man identifying himself as Richard Gadd, 73, asked whether the King had pressured police regarding his brother. Police escorted the man away from the scene.
In Clitheroe, the heckler was reportedly pulled aside by another member of the public before leaving the area. Video footage circulating online shows the crowd shouting “shut up” and “kick him out,” followed by cheers once the interruption ended.
The renewed public scrutiny comes amid media reports about Prince Andrew’s past association with Epstein, who was convicted in the U.S. for soliciting underage prostitution and died in custody in 2019. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Despite the disruption, the visit went ahead as planned. During his time in Lancashire, King Charles met farmers, local business owners, and schoolchildren, who waved flags and cheered his arrival. He was welcomed at the station by the Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire before engaging with the public outside.
Local resident Christine Dilworth, 66, presented the King with daffodils and expressed her support for the Royal Family. “He’s now our King, and I think they do a fantastic job for the country. They work tirelessly and contribute so much,” she said. On the heckling, she added: “People should put that behind them. The last thing I want is someone spoiling it for everyone else.”
Buckingham Palace has not commented on the latest incident. Prince Andrew, who faced civil legal proceedings in the U.S. related to Epstein, was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages in 2022 and has not carried out public royal duties since.
