Prince William was left grappling with fresh fallout after newly released images from the United States Department of Justice tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation thrust his uncle, Prince Andrew, back into public controversy, according to royal commentators cited by U.S. media.
The photographs, included in a late-January release of Epstein-related materials by the Justice Department, appear to show Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on all fours above an unidentified woman lying on her back. The woman's face is blacked out, and no date, location or explanatory context accompanied the images, a vacuum that has intensified scrutiny despite official cautions.
Jeffrey Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019, remains the subject of ongoing document disclosures in the U.S. The Justice Department noted that inclusion of images in the files does not in itself imply criminal wrongdoing, a qualification that has struggled to keep pace with the rapid circulation of the photographs.
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that the images were enough to send both King Charles III and his heir "into apoplexy," likening the moment to a modern "House of Horrors." The description underscored the extent to which the resurfacing of Epstein-linked material continues to destabilize royal efforts to project distance from Andrew.
According to Fox News reporting, three images were released on Jan. 30, showing Andrew crouched or kneeling over the woman, with his hands positioned on or near her body in different frames. Buckingham Palace has previously maintained that it does not comment on matters concerning the King's younger brother because he is no longer a working royal, a position that has offered limited insulation from public reaction.
Commentators suggest the renewed controversy has sharpened tensions inside the royal household, particularly for William. Helena Chard, a British broadcaster and photographer, told Fox News Digital that the Prince of Wales, 43, is "furious" that stronger measures have not been taken. "William believes Andrew is obliterating the monarchy's good work, and it's become vulnerable to the stream of bombshell revelations," she said.
Chard added that William would "put his foot down" to prevent Andrew from moving "so close" to his family, describing the Justice Department releases as "drip-feeds" of "uncomfortable, tawdry images" that leave the royal family bracing for further disclosures. The assessment highlights the challenge facing a future monarch intent on presenting a streamlined, modernized institution.
The issue has also taken on political dimensions. Fox News reported that U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called on Andrew to testify before the U.S. Congress, arguing that "Epstein's victims have to be the priority." The intervention reflects growing pressure for accountability beyond palace walls.
For William, advisers say, the stakes extend beyond immediate embarrassment. As the Epstein files continue to surface, the prospect that unresolved scandals could shadow the next reign has become a pressing concern for a monarchy seeking to convince the public that it has decisively turned the page.
