King's response to heckler will frustrate critics - but he doesn't want Andrew to be a distraction
The monarch's approach is don't answer and don't give the story further oxygen. The shouts are a story but his response, should he give one, would be much bigger.
Friday 6 February 2026 02:28, UK
In a crowd of hundreds, two voices on the royal visit to Essex would inevitably end up grabbing some of the attention.
A man heckling about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in an apparent reference to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, and a reporter asking a question, neither getting any kind of response from the King.
The monarch was dodging the questions and the wet weather in Dedham.
He's been in this position many times over the years, scandals threatening to overshadow his engagements.
His approach - and I've seen it on many occasions - is don't answer and don't give the story further oxygen.
A man in the crowd, who was wearing a grey hat and holding a blue umbrella, shouted as the King was near him: "Charles, Charles, have you pressurised the police to start investigating Andrew?"
Shortly afterwards a news reporter in the crowd - who was beside a cameraman - apparently tried to ask Charles a question about his brother.
The shouts are a story but his response, should he give one, would be much bigger.
That will frustrate those who believe the monarch should say more, that the institution has questions to answer about Andrew and the Epstein files.
From speaking to palace sources, they're clearly keen to make sure the public don't think they're burying their heads in the sand on this.
Like all of us they can't help but watch developments closely, especially when they involve one of their own.
In some ways, the fact Prince Edward was bounced into answering a question about it, while on an official trip in Dubai, did them a favour.
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He could again publicly reiterate the new palace line that the focus should be on remembering the victims, repeating an important part of the palace statement released back in October when the King stripped Andrew of his home and titles.
On Thursday, his priority would have been the hundreds of people who were braving the cold and the rain to see him and the Queen, and celebrating the community of Dedham.
Largely a crowd who believe that he's done the right things so far and that his brother has left him in a really tricky position, a crowd who also didn't appreciate the King being shouted at.
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Like the monarch they didn't want Andrew to distract from their big day, but the enormity of the Epstein scandal always meant that was in many ways unpreventable.