King Charles Criticized for Refusing to Meet Epstein Survivors During US Visit

The brother of the late Virginia Giuffre criticized King Charles III for not meeting with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse during his visit to the United States this week. "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," Giuffre's brother Sky Roberts said. "You would expect this to be a moment for the king to give a message to the world that he stands with survivors." Roberts spoke at a roundtable discussion hosted by Ro Khanna, the California Democratic representative, who co-authored the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The discussion included relatives of Giuffre, who took her own life last year, Sharlene Rochard and Danielle Bensky, Epstein survivors, and representatives from several human rights and women's rights organizations. The roundtable was held ahead of King Charles III's address to Congress on Tuesday. Khanna sent the king a letter last month, urging him to meet with survivors of Epstein's abuse during his state visit to the US. "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," Khanna wrote. "Survivors want this meeting." A lawyer representing King Charles and Queen Camilla later said in a letter, reported by the New York Times, that the king would not meet with Epstein's victims during this visit. The letter cited "ongoing police inquiries" in the UK, and said that King Charles was "unable to meet survivors or comment directly on the matters under inquiry". "The king and queen have consistently made clear their support for all victims of abuse, wherever and however perpetrated," the letter added. The scandal surrounding Epstein, along with the recent release of US Department of Justice files related to him, has reverberated around the world but particularly in the UK, where the relationship between Epstein and the king's younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has plagued the royal family for several years. Giuffre, one of Epstein's most prominent accusers, alleged that Mountbatten-Windsor had sexually abused her after she was trafficked by Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor has repeatedly denied these claims. In 2019, he stepped back from royal public duties following backlash after his interview with the BBC about his friendship with Epstein and Giuffre's allegations. Two years later, in 2021, Giuffre filed a civil suit against him, accusing Mountbatten-Windsor of sexual assault. In 2022, he lost his military roles and royal patronage, and later that year, Mountbatten-Windsor and Giuffre agreed to an out-of-court settlement. He did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement. Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025. Her memoir Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice was published posthumously last October. That same month, Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles and moved out of his home at the Royal lodge, following growing controversy over his links to Epstein. More recently, the justice department's files have shed additional light on Mountbatten-Windsor's relationship with Epstein. In February, he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, stemming from allegations he may have shared confidential material with Epstein while serving as a UK trade envoy. He has denied any wrongdoing or accusations against him and has not been charged. Following the arrest, the king issued a rare public statement, saying that "the law must take its course". "As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter," Charles continued. Giuffre's family reacted to Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest by saying that their "broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty". On Tuesday, Khanna said he convened the gathering to bring together Epstein survivors and advocates to discuss the "realities of trafficking and sexual assault, the failures in current systems, and actions Congress can take to better protect survivors and prevent abuse" ahead of the king's remarks to lawmakers. Earlier this week, Giuffre's brother told Sky News he believes that the king not meeting with Epstein survivors this week is a "missed opportunity". "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.