Prince William has shattered a royal tradition and rule maintained by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, throughout her 70-year reign.
According to Fox News Digital, who spoke to royal expert Hilary Fordwich, William split from a standard royal response when he and his wife, Kate Middleton, released a statement standing with the victims of Jeffrey Epstein. Traditionally, the royal family has lived by the motto “never complain, never explain” when dealing with private or difficult issues.
Fordwich told the news outlet, “Prince William, with the major influence of Princess Catherine, is modernizing the monarchy by clarifying their position — which is with the victims. This demonstrates William’s moral authority. We can expect that he will not do anything to defend his uncle [Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor].”
The royal expert continued, “Despite issuing a statement supporting victims before departing for Saudi Arabia, Prince William was still heckled. He is clearly the hardliner on reputational risk, viewing silence as both damning and dangerous for the monarchy. Notably, the statement he and Princess Catherine released was brief, direct, and avoided any mention of his despicable uncle’s name.”
Parade Daily🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
On February 9, 2026, PEOPLE Magazine reported the couple shared a statement supporting Epstein’s victims via a spokesperson.
“I can confirm that the Prince and Princess of Wales have been deeply concerned by the continued revelations,’’ the palace said in a statement. “Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”
“Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
RELATED: Kate Middleton and Prince William Finally Address Epstein Scandal—Here’s What They Said
The Department of Justice released 3.5 million pages of the Epstein files in late January, 2026. Although Mountbatten-Windsor was named in the files, he claimed, per Fox News Digital, that he had no contact with the convicted sex offender in 2010. However, the released documents show that was not the case.
Fordwich added, “There is no way to completely shut down this nightmare. [The royal family] have already shifted Andrew out of the public spotlight, stripped him of his titles and patronages — all of which William wanted from the outset.”
She concluded that Prince William and Kate Middleton remain unified in their stand against his uncle’s association with Epstein. “He and Princess Catherine are aligned with the public disgust towards [his] behavior. Catherine’s background — not being born into the royal family — gives her a clear outsider’s perspective. She has been a strong moral force by William’s side, and the couple are completely united.”
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor continues to denies any wrongdoing in his association with Jeffrey Epstein.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available 24 hours a day through RAINN‘s National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.aol.com ’
