Protesters gather during Trooping the Colour celebrations
Trooping the Colour brought together King Charles and senior members of the royal family to celebrate the monarch’s official birthday on Saturday, June 13, 2026. While the royals appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the traditional flyover, protesters got together outside the palace gates. Some protestors carried signs reading “Down With the Crown,” while others held placards featuring photos of the former royal, Prince Andrew, linked to documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Prince Andrew remains under intense public scrutiny
Prince Andrew, who is 66 years old, was arrested on February 19, 2026, on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The allegations claimed that he improperly shared information with Epstein while serving as a British government envoy. Before his 2026 arrest, King Charles removed Andrew’s remaining royal titles in October 2025. This happened after the U.S. Department of Justice released Epstein-related evidence, containing photos and pages mentioning the former Prince. The former Duke of York had already lost his military titles and patronages in 2022, when he settled a sexual assault lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre. Even though he denied any wrongdoing, Giuffre died by suicide on April 24, 2025.
The controversy continues to affect Andrew’s family
Ex-Prince Andrew has not appeared at Trooping the Colour since 2019. In recent years, he and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, have largely stayed out of public view due to their connection to sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. In addition, their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, were also absent from this year’s celebration despite attending in the past. According to reports, the sisters are focused on protecting their young families from the attention surrounding the controversy involving their parents.
