Calls for ‘honest debate’ about monarchy as support falls amid Epstein scandal

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Police confirmed it was assessing suggestions that Andrew shared confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with Jeffrey Epstein

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Support for the monarchy has fallen amid the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal, a new poll has revealed.

The proportion of the British public in favour of the monarchy has dropped three percentage points, down to 45 per cent, a survey commissioned by anti-monarchy campaign group Republic found.

It comes as Buckingham Palace said on Monday that the King had made his “profound concern” clear regarding allegations about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct.

The Palace added it will “stand ready to support” the police if approached over fresh claims.

Thames Valley Police confirmed it was assessing suggestions that the King’s brother shared confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with sex offender Epstein.

The new allegations emerged among the tranche of three million documents made public by the US department of justice relating to Epstein.

There are also claims that a second woman was sent to the UK by paedophile Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew, and that the former prince and Epstein asked an exotic dancer for a threesome in the latter’s Florida home.

The research by Savanta, which was carried out over the weekend before the Palace’s comments, showed that those who would prefer an elected head of state remained at 32 per cent, but those who did not know had risen from 20 per cent to 24 per cent since October.

The Prince and Princess of Wales meanwhile publicly addressed the Epstein scandal for the first time on Monday, with Kensington Palace saying they were “deeply concerned” at the “continued revelations” and that their thoughts “remain focused on the victims”.

The King was heckled on an away day to Lancashire when a man shouted, “How long have you known about Andrew?” after he arrived at Clitheroe train station.

Republic’s chief executive Graham Smith, who reported Andrew to the police over the trade envoy allegations, said: “The monarchy is losing its one claim to legitimacy, opinion poll ratings.

“The trend across most polling is declining support, and this poll shows how low that support has gone.

“Falling support is unsurprising given the gravity of accusations against Andrew.”

He stressed the “urgent need” for a “serious and honest debate” about a post-monarchy Britain.

Mr Smith added: “The monarchy is not going to reverse this trend of falling support. The late queen was the one person keeping this creaking institution going. Even her legacy is now being tainted by the Andrew scandal.”

The poll asked more than 2,100 adults “What would you prefer for the UK: a monarchy or an elected head of state?”.

Savanta’s previous research was carried out shortly after Andrew agreed to stop publicly using his royal titles and honours in October 2025 and before the King stripped him of his right to be a prince and removed his dukedom.

Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, alleged she was forced to have sex three times with Andrew, which he vehemently denies, including when she was 17, and also during an orgy, after she was trafficked by Epstein.

Andrew paid millions to settle the civil sex case with her in 2022, despite insisting he had never met her.

The former duke has always denied any wrongdoing.

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