King Charles III declined to meet with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse during his state visit to the United States this week, drawing sharp criticism from advocates and the family of one of the financier's most prominent accusers.
Sky Roberts, brother of the late Virginia Giuffre, said the king's decision represented a failure of leadership. "Survivors are here sitting with members of Congress, still fighting to be heard, still pushing for real accountability, while many of the powerful figures connected to these systems remain just out of reach, unable to acknowledge survivors face to face," Roberts said at a roundtable discussion in Washington. "You would expect this to be a moment for the king to give a message to the world that he stands with survivors."
The roundtable, convened by California Democratic Representative Ro Khanna ahead of the king's address to Congress on Tuesday, brought together relatives of Giuffre, Epstein survivors, and representatives from human rights organizations to discuss trafficking and systemic failures.
Khanna had sent Charles a letter last month requesting a private meeting with Epstein survivors. "I respectfully ask that you privately meet with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's and Ghislaine Maxwell's abuse, so they may speak to you directly about the ways powerful individuals and institutions failed them," the letter said. "Survivors want this meeting."
The palace declined. A lawyer representing the king and Queen Camilla said in a letter, reported by the New York Times, that Charles was "unable to meet survivors or comment directly on the matters under inquiry" due to ongoing police investigations in the UK. The response added that the royal couple "have consistently made clear their support for all victims of abuse, wherever and however perpetrated."
Giuffre alleged that Prince Andrew, the king's younger brother, sexually abused her after she was trafficked by Epstein. Andrew has repeatedly denied the accusations. Following the release of Justice Department files about Epstein, Andrew was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, stemming from allegations he shared confidential material with Epstein while serving as a UK trade envoy. He has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing.
Giuffre took her own life in April 2024. Her memoir was published posthumously, and in October of that year Andrew was stripped of his royal titles and moved out of his residence at the Royal Lodge.
When Andrew was arrested, the king issued a rare public statement. "The law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter," Charles said.
Roberts told Sky News earlier in the week that the king's refusal to meet with survivors was a "missed opportunity." He said meeting face-to-face would have sent a powerful signal. "Because even if it's not to go into depths, it means something to look into a survivor's eyes and say: 'I promise to give you a fair and thorough investigation in this and that does not matter if it's my brother or if it's other perpetrators out there. I, the King of England, stand with survivors," he said.
Author James Rodriguez: "The palace's invocation of legal constraints rings hollow when weighed against the symbolic power of a single conversation with victims now demanding accountability."
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