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During a public appearance to a cathedral in Staffordshire on Monday, the King was heckled by a man who questioned him about his brother's relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The man asked how long the monarch had been known about his brother's association with Epstein, and also raised doubts about whether he had instructed the police to "hide" for Prince Andrew.

Amid the protest, there were throngs of supporters and cheers for the King, who was visiting the region for an event.

Prince Andrew's connections with Epstein have been under close examination in recent weeks. The royal, who relinquished his royal duties earlier this month, has strongly denied any wrongdoing.

"How long have you been aware about Andrew and Epstein? Have you asked the authorities to cover up for Andrew?"

The monarch ignored the questions but carried on meeting supporters, some of whom shouted "God Save The King". One fan can be overheard requesting him for a hug.

A female bystander outside the cathedral was also observed telling the protester to "go away" and to "shut up".

Scandal Reignited by Posthumous Publication

The controversy over the Duke of York's connections to Epstein has been reignited by sexual abuse allegations repeated in Virginia Giuffre's posthumously-published memoir.

In the publication, the accuser claims she had sex with the royal on three separate occasions, including once with Jeffrey Epstein and "eight other young girls"

Prince Andrew, who reached a out-of-court agreement with Ms Giuffre in recent years, has consistently denied any misconduct. In a previous interview, he told BBC Newsnight he did not remember meeting her "ever", and that they "never had any sort of sexual contact."

Fresh Questions Over Lifestyle and Housing

But recently, new inquiries have been raised about how he is able to fund his lifestyle despite not being a working royal.

The revelation that he has only ever paid a token annual rent on his Windsor mansion has heightened the scrutiny over his housing situation - even though he made significant contributions up front, including for improvements.

The Liberal Democrats said he should be called in before MPs to give testimony about his rental agreement of his lodge.

But last week, the government declined to give parliamentarians time to debate the prince's titles or his home, despite increasing calls for scrutiny.

Buckingham Palace has not commented on whether Prince Andrew might relocate of his home - or where he might reside.

Related Topics

• Prince Andrew
• British Monarchy
• The Monarch