King Charles III attended a London fashion show on Thursday, hours after his brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office amid reports that he shared confidential information with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The King’s presence at the London Fashion Week came after he released a statement saying he supports a “full, fair and proper process” in the investigation into the former prince. Charles has also sought to distance Andrew from the royal family by stripping him of his royal title earlier. Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor was released in the evening but remains under investigation.
The king did not comment on his brother’s arrest as he arrived at the event, nor when he left, but his appearance appeared calculated to send a signal that the Royal family was carrying on with its duties and engagements as usual.
“I think that it says volumes — the way Charles is approaching this. I think he’s very keen to ensure that Andrew does not damage the crown,” Jennifer Purcell, a royal family historian at Saint Michael’s College, said about the king’s presence at the fashion show.
She added: ”Those public appearances are very much about the kind of keeping at arm’s length that has to happen at this level if the crown is to remain important as a unifying force.”
The show displayed pieces by the Nigerian-British fashion designer Tolu Coker, according to photographs from the event and news media reports. The photos show that Charles, dressed in a gray suit, sat in the front row.
Charles’ decision last October to strip the title of his brother Andrew displayed a level of accountability rarely applied to royals, according to experts of the royal family. It was a defining moment in his leadership, amid public outcry over allegations of sexual misconduct against Andrew and his friendship with Mr. Epstein.
The King’s posture, said Ms. Purcell, has been to portray a crown that holds itself to account, and appearing to continue with business as usual fits that image.
Pranav Baskar is an international reporter and a member of the 2025-26 Times Fellowship class, a program for journalists early in their careers.
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