Just hours after the Prince and Princess of Wales released their first-ever statement addressing the Epstein scandal, the King went further by saying he stood “ready to support” the police if approached over the recent claims concerning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.  In his first statement since he formally stripped his disgraced brother of his royal titles in October, Charles made clear his “profound concern” at allegations the disgraced former prince shared confidential data with Jeffrey Epstein. 

It marked a significant turning point in both Kensington and Buckingham Palace’s responses to the scandal that continued to engulf both the monarchy and Westminster since the latest Epstein files were released at the end of last month. Until now, the Royal Family had approached the scandal with silence, in a bid to avoid giving it any oxygen.

But after the King faced repeated heckles and William was preparing for his most significant diplomatic mission yet, keeping calm and carrying on simply wouldn’t do.

Both the king and the future king have realised, much like the weary Prime Minister, that this is a scandal that is simply not going to go away.

The depth and breadth of the allegations which continue to emerge paint a grim picture and the two most senior royals are keen to ensure that they position themselves on the right side.

Charles, Camilla, William and Catherine have all plainly stated that their thoughts are with the victims, just as the Duke of Edinburgh made clear last week.

And it’s been as tricky for the royals to keep up with the myriad of allegations, as they learn about the seriousness of the allegations in real time.

The king’s statement this evening makes it clear that he will not protect his brother, and will assist police in their endeavours. If the Palace’s help is required, this is likely to come in the form of handing over official documents, emails and paperwork from the time of the allegations.

The walls of Andrew’s new Sandringham home are closing in, and in a bid to safeguard the future of the monarchy, Charles and William stand in lockstep on the issue.

A firmer stance needed to be taken, and the public are now keenly aware of this. Will these statements be enough? Only time will tell. But for the Royal Family’s sake, they will be hoping that the attention is redirected onto the important work they carry out, rather than one of the greatest scandals to have hit the monarchy in decades.