King Charles Faces Heckler During Public Engagement

King Charles III experienced a disruption while interacting with the public in Clitheroe, Lancashire, on Monday, February 9. A man from the crowd shouted a question regarding his brother, Prince Andrew, and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Upon arriving at the train station of the town, the 77-year-old monarch was in the midst of greeting supporters when the heckler called out, "How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?"

Witnesses noted that the majority of those present, many of whom were waving Union flags, reacted by booing the heckler and yelling "shut up." The King, however, continued his greetings undeterred and did not reply to the outburst.

This incident occurred just days after a previous encounter where Charles faced similar heckling in Essex. A man named Richard Gadd, 73, had posed questions about whether the King had pressured police against investigating his brother. Law enforcement had to escort Gadd away during that visit.

In Clitheroe, the heckler was reportedly removed from the area by another member of the public. Footage that circulated online showed the crowd erupting in shouts of "shut up" and "kick him out," followed by cheers once the commotion ceased.

The scrutiny stemming from the public comes amid renewed media attention regarding Prince Andrew’s previous ties to Epstein, who was convicted in the U.S. for soliciting prostitution from a minor and later died in custody in 2019. Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing connected to Epstein.

While in Lancashire, the King interacted with farmers, local business owners, and school children, who welcomed him with flags and cheers. He was met at the station by the Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire prior to engaging with the public outside.

One local, Christine Dilworth, 66, presented the King with a bouquet of daffodils and expressed her support for the Royal Family, stating, "He’s now our King and I think they do a fantastic job for the country, they work tirelessly and the revenue which they bring in."

On the disruption, she commented, "I think people should put that behind them. The last thing I want is someone coming out with something they don’t need to come out with and spoiling it for other people."

Buckingham Palace has chosen not to comment on the latest incident. Prince Andrew lost his military titles and royal patronages in 2022 following legal troubles in the U.S. related to his connection with Epstein. Since then, he has not participated in public royal duties.

This visit to Clitheroe marked King Charles's second official trip to Lancashire during his reign.