Sex abuse victims of Jeffrey Epstein are reportedly ‘frustrated’ that his long-term friend Prince Andrew has been ‘rehabilitated’ in his public appearances following the Queen’s death last week.
The Duke of York, 62, has returned to public life during the period of mourning since his mother’s death.
But a representative of Epstein’s victims said Andrew’s appearances in honour of the Queen were ‘disrespectful’ and ‘insulting’ to those involved, the Independent reported.
He has been accused of trying ‘rehabilitate’ his public image following the Queen’s death.
Yesterday the prince wore his military uniform during a vigil at Westminster Hall for the Queen as she lies in state, after King Charles allowed him to wear it.
Sex abuse victims of Jeffrey Epstein are reportedly ‘frustrated’ that his long-term friend Prince Andrew has been ‘rehabilitated’ in his public appearances following the Queen’s death last week. Pictured is the prince and Epstein in New York following his prison term in 2011
Yesterday the prince wore his military uniform during a vigil at Westminster Hall for the Queen as she lies in state, after King Charles allowed him to wear it
The King, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward stood guard over their mother’s coffin in silence for ten minutes while members of the public filed past.
He also took part in the Vigil of the Princes at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh on Monday, has been out in public with other senior royals to look at tributes – such as at Balmoral Castle – and took part in the procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on Wednesday alongside his siblings.
The Duke of York’s appearances haven’t been met without protest.
The Duke was called a ‘sick old man’ as he passed behind his mother’s hearse on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh on September 12.
Spencer Kevin, who represented nine of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, said: ‘For the victims that are involved… it’s frustrating.
The Duke of York took part in the procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on Wednesday alongside his siblings – but was excluded from the royal salute
‘This is a man they see as someone who is, at the very least, disrespectful to the victims, by his friendship with a paedophile.
‘And for him to be lauded in public, as he’s doing, and to be praised by the public, which is what he’s seeking, is insulting.
‘It’s no secret that he likes being popular. He likes his position. And I think that he is attempting now to see if he can rehabilitate his image in the public.’
Prince Andrew was pictured wearing his military uniform as he arrived at Westminster Hall with his brother, Prince Edward, to attend a vigil in honour of his mother the Queen yesterday
He added that the prince should grieve his mother’s death privately, instead of being allowed to join in with the public display of mourning.
Meanwhile, Mariann Wang, another lawyer who represented Epstein’s victims, said Prince Andrew’s appearances had been ‘quite outrageous’.
She said: ‘I can certainly say in general that it is so harmful for any survivor of trauma to see an abuser or their enablers continue to reap the benefits of privilege, status and power.
‘Particularly because it is almost always that privilege, status and power that allowed those individuals to cause harm in the first place.’
As a ‘Counsellor of State’, Prince Andrew could even act as a stand-in for King Charles III at royal events, although there have been calls to change this.
Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice were consoled by their father Prince Andrew as they looked at the floral tributes for Queen Elizabeth II outside the gates of Balmoral Castle
Left to right: Princess Eugenie, Peter Phillips, Lady Louise Windsor, Zara Tindall, Sophie Countess of Wessex, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Princess Anne and Timothy Laurence wave to the members of the public after looking at the floral tributes for Queen Elizabeth II, as others look on, outside the gates of Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire
The disgraced Prince is eighth in line to the throne – but is entitled to the position as he is a senior royal over the age of 21.
Previously the Duke of York had withdrawn from public life after a £12million out-of-court settlement in March with Virginia Roberts, who accused him of sexual assault.
He did not appear with the other royals on the balcony for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June.
The prince denied the accusations that he had assaulted Roberts when she was 17 – and while she was being trafficked by his friend Epstein.
He claimed he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the night in question.
Previously the Duke of York had withdrawn from public life after a £12million out-of-court settlement in March with Virginia Roberts, who accused him of sexual assault. Left to right is the Duke of York, Virginia Roberts and Ghislaine Maxwell
The settlement was not an admission of liability but the Queen’s supposedly favourite son was stripped of his royal patronages and honorary military titles.
Epstein served almost 13 months in jail in 2008 after he was convicted of procuring a child for prostitution and sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl.
But Prince Andrew continued his friendship with the offender after he was released, despite many others cutting off all ties with him and was infamously pictured with him in New York in 2011.
In 2019 he told the BBC that his relationship with Epstein and the opportunities he had been given were ‘very useful’ and said he didn’t recall the photo with Virginia Roberts – now known as Virginia Giuffre – ‘ever having been taken’.
Jeffrey Epstein took his own life while in jail in 2019.
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