King Charles heckled again by member of public

King Charles III was heckled during a public walkabout in Clitheroe, Lancashire, on Monday, February 9, when a member of the crowd shouted a question about his brother, Prince Andrew, and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The King, 77, had just arrived at the town’s train station and was greeting well-wishers when a man called out: “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?”

Witnesses said the majority of the crowd, many holding Union flags, reacted by booing the heckler and shouting “shut up.” The monarch continued greeting members of the public and did not respond to the remark.

The incident comes less than a week after Charles was similarly confronted during a visit to Essex, where a man identifying himself as Richard Gadd, 73, shouted questions about whether the King had pressured police not to investigate his brother. Police officers escorted the man away from the crowd during that appearance.

In Clitheroe, locals said the heckler was pulled away by another member of the public before leaving the area. Video footage circulating online captured members of the crowd shouting “shut up” and “kick him out,” followed by cheers as the disruption ended.

The renewed public scrutiny follows fresh media reports concerning Prince Andrew’s past association with Epstein, who was convicted in the United States for soliciting pr0st!tution from a m!nor and later died in custody in 2019. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

During his visit to Lancashire, the King met farmers, local business owners and schoolchildren, who waved flags and cheered his arrival. He was greeted at the station by the Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire before meeting members of the public outside.

One resident, Christine Dilworth, 66, presented the King with daffodils and expressed support for the Royal Family. “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,” she said.

On the disruption, she added: “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 declined to comment on the latest incident. Andrew was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages in 2022 following civil legal proceedings in the United States related to his association with Epstein. He has not held public royal duties since.

The King’s visit to Clitheroe marked his second official trip to Lancashire as monarch.