King ready to work with police over Andrew

Police are also assessing claims that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor passed on confidential information to Epstein.

Emails suggest that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor passed on information to the convicted paedophile about what had been discussed during his visits as UK trade envoy.

A message sent by Amit Patel, then Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s special assistant, in November 2010, contained reports of what had been discussed on visits to Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam and China.

Thames Valley Police confirmed on Monday that it was “assessing the information in line with our established procedures”.

Until now, the Prince of Wales has deferred to his father in dealing with the “Andrew issue”, with a source repeating that he supports the King’s leadership.

However, he is said to have privately pushed for a firmer line in dealing with it. Before the release of the latest Epstein files, he was also understood to have been mindful of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s mental health under extreme public pressure.

A leading US Democrat urged the King and Queen to “answer questions” about Epstein on Monday.

Ro Khanna, who helped to force the release of the Epstein files, said Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s relationship with the disgraced financier could “bring down the British monarchy”.

Mr Khanna said the Royal family is the “most vulnerable it has ever been” after fresh details about the former prince’s relationship with Epstein were laid bare in three million documents published by the US department of justice (DoJ) on Jan 30.

Earlier on Monday, the Prince and Princess of Wales said they were “deeply concerned” by the “continuing revelations” of the Epstein files, which include numerous documents to, from and about Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, the Prince of Wales’s uncle.

In a statement released on Monday, a spokesman for Kensington Palace said: “I can confirm The Prince and Princess of Wales have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”