Majority of people think the King should encourage Andrew to testify about Epstein – poll

An overwhelming majority of people think the King should encourage Andrew to give evidence, according to a YouGov poll for Sky News.

When asked, 82% of respondents said King Charles should encourage his brother to give evidence to police in the US, while only 6% thought he should not encourage him.

The poll was carried out over the weekend following recent revelations in the Epstein files. It is the first test of public opinion since the documents were released.

Thames Valley Police are currently assessing allegations about Andrew. Buckingham Palace has said it would support police if approached over claims about Andrew's links with Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has denied allegations of wrongdoing.

The Palace also said the King had "profound concern" about the allegations surrounding Andrew's conduct.

The YouGov poll also found 45% believe the King has done all he can to distance himself and the wider Royal Family from Andrew. Some 39% of those asked said the King should be doing more.

When asked whether the King should apologise to Epstein's victims, 35% were in favour, compared with 45% who thought he should not make an official apology.

We also asked if the King should stop Andrew living on the Sandringham Estate. A majority, 63%, thought he should, with 16% saying he should not stop Andrew living there.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor left Royal Lodge, his stately home on the Windsor estate, last week, and has moved to a property on the King's private Norfolk estate, while his new home is being refurbished.

These results give a snapshot of public opinion about how the King has responded to the difficult situation involving his sibling.

Read more:
The extraordinary timing of palace's latest Andrew statement
Email appears to contradict Andrew's claims about key photo

With a slew of negative headlines around Andrew and Epstein's relationship, two royal households have taken the unusual step of issuing statements. Both Buckingham and Kensington Palace laid out their response within a couple of hours of each other, following fresh allegations.

Last year, the King stripped his brother of his titles, honours and his home. But it's not just Andrew's reputation and judgement on the line.

The revelations could threaten the future of the monarchy if the public feels the Palace response doesn't reflect the scale and significance of this scandal.

(c) Sky News 2026: Majority of people think the King should encourage Andrew to testify about Epstein – poll