I AM ON THE LIST: KING CHARLES FRONT ROW AT LONDON FASHION WEEK AS EPSTEIN SCANDAL ENGULFS BROTHER ANDREW

King Charles III took a front-row seat at the opening night of London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2026 on February 19. The monarch attended British-Nigerian designer Tolu Coker’s show at 180 Strand.

This appearance builds on a rich royal tradition of fashion patronage. Princess Margaret attended a Dior presentation at Blenheim Palace in 1954; Princess Diana lent diplomatic and cultural weight to shows like Joe Casely-Hayford’s in 1995; Queen Elizabeth II famously sat beside Anna Wintour at Richard Quinn’s 2018 show; Queen Camilla has spotlighted sustainable designers such as Bethany Williams; and younger royals including Princess Eugenie and Meghan Markle have attended international weeks from Paris to New York.

For Charles, however, fashion is more than glamour — it is social investment. The King’s Trust has funded, mentored, and launched thousands of businesses in creative sectors, including fashion and design. His presence at Coker’s show was widely interpreted as both validation of that mission and a subtle message of institutional steadiness.

Timing and the Shadow Over the Family

The event took place against a dramatically different backdrop. Hours earlier, Buckingham Palace had issued a statement from the King supporting a “full, fair and proper process” in the ongoing police investigation into his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly known as Prince Andrew, Duke of York). Andrew was arrested at Sandringham on February 19 — his birthday — on suspicion of misconduct in public office, specifically allegations that he shared confidential government trade information with Jeffrey Epstein during his time as Britain’s special envoy for international trade (2001–2011). He was later released pending further inquiries.

Andrew’s links to Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in jail in 2019, have haunted the royal family for years. The pair were introduced in 1999 by Ghislaine Maxwell (Epstein’s then-partner and convicted sex-trafficker). Their friendship continued after Epstein’s 2008 conviction, including a notorious 2010 visit to New York that Andrew later claimed was solely to “cut ties.” Court documents and emails released in recent years have painted a far more extensive relationship, leading to the stripping of Andrew’s royal titles and military affiliations.

Epstein’s Web in the Fashion World — and Andrew’s Place Within It

Epstein’s infiltration of the fashion industry was extensive and, according to multiple court filings and victim accounts, often exploitative. His decades-long relationship with L Brands founder Leslie Wexner gave him extraordinary control: power of attorney over Wexner’s fortune and alleged use of the Victoria’s Secret brand as a lure. Epstein reportedly posed as a modeling scout for the lingerie giant, inviting young women and girls to “auditions” that victims later described as grooming or assault opportunities. One model, Alicia Arden, filed a police report in 1997 after an alleged hotel encounter.

Epstein also had financial and social ties to modeling agencies. He partnered with French agent Jean-Luc Brunel (who died in jail while facing trafficking charges) and was linked to MC2 Model Management, accused of supplying underage girls. Emails show Epstein discussing investments in fashion houses, attending Vera Wang shows, dining with Azzedine Alaïa, and exchanging messages with supermodel Naomi Campbell about swimsuit lines, meetings, and calls — contact that continued long after his 2008 conviction.

Andrew’s own proximity to this world is documented in released files:

• In 1999, Andrew flew on Epstein’s private jet alongside Russian model Anna Malova.
• During the 2010 New York trip, Epstein hosted a VIP dinner in Andrew’s honor attended by celebrities, arranged for Latvian model Lana Zakocela (then 21) to be picked up from the airport and stay at his mansion, scheduled lunch with Model Management founder Faith Kates, and went shopping with Andrew at Barneys. The itinerary also referenced possible dinner with Naomi Campbell.
• Andrew’s longtime aide and Pitch@Palace director David Stern — who had close access to the royal family — maintained direct email contact with Epstein. Stern sent Epstein photographs of Andrew dining with 23-year-old Chinese model and actress Miya Muqi during taxpayer-funded trade trips, accompanied by derogatory messages using the code “P” for women. In September 2011, Stern emailed Epstein about London Fashion Week: “Special Chinese catwalk on 19th. Should I get tickets for you to review Chinese P?” Epstein replied asking about candidates; Stern responded he was “starting interviewing via skype. Not JE style yet.”

Recent reporting has also referenced a woman with ties to Andrew who offered to establish a modeling agency specifically for Epstein to scout 16-year-olds — another alleged avenue into the industry’s vulnerable talent pool.

These details, drawn from Epstein document releases, flight logs, and investigative reporting, illustrate how Epstein weaponised fashion’s glamour, power imbalances, and global events to cultivate elite access — and how Andrew’s circle, knowingly or not, overlapped with that network.

Andrew has consistently denied any sexual misconduct or knowledge of Epstein’s crimes, settled the Giuffre civil suit in 2022 without admitting liability, and maintains the relationship was limited. Buckingham Palace has repeatedly distanced the working monarchy from him.