The royal family was met by heckling protesters in London this week for their largest public gathering since former Prince Andrew’s arrest last month.
Demonstrators from the anti-monarchy group Republic held bright yellow signs that said things like “What did you know?” outside Westminster Abbey Monday as King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton made their way inside for the annual Commonwealth Day celebration.
Other signs waved by the protesters said “Not my king,” “Down with the Crown” and “Ditch the Duchies.”
Demonstrators held blown-up photos of Andrew with Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre and another one of Andrew on his hands and knees leaning over a woman lying face up on the ground that was part of a Jeffrey Epstein files release.
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“What did you know?” was written below both photos.
Another banner said, “Charles, what are you hiding?”
A poster held up by a protester included a photo of Charles, William and Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, smiling with the words “What are you hiding? Royal Epstein Enquiry.”
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Andrew was arrested on Feb. 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public office relating to his Epstein connections. He was released after 11 hours in custody. He has not been charged and has denied all the allegations against him.
The king, who removed Andrew’s titles, including “prince” last fall, didn’t defend his younger brother in a statement released by Buckingham Palace after his arrest.
“I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office,” the king said at the time. “What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation. Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.
“As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.”
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Andrew was ordered by the king to leave his home in Royal Lodge in Windsor last fall for a smaller home on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
The former Duke of York was not at Westminster Abbey Monday, where Charles, Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne and the Duke of Gloucester, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, met for the annual celebration of the 56 countries that make up the British Commonwealth.
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Sarah Ferguson, who is believed to have left the country, and princesses Beatrice and Eugenie weren’t at the event.
Charles avoided any mention of Andrew in his annual speech Monday, instead focusing on global issues like war and conflict and climate change.
Graham Smith, a Republic spokesperson, told Channel 5 News in the U.K. that he thinks public support for the monarchy has dipped recently because people across the country are angry about the Andrew scandal.
“There’s genuine sort of concern about what people knew,” Smith told the station. “That question is being asked, not just by us, but by royalists and royal journalists and commentators. So, I think the heckling is reflecting a much wider mood. I think that’s why it’s cutting through and getting talked about so much.”
