The walls of Royal Lodge have never seemed thinner. In a significant escalation of political pressure, UK Housing Secretary Steve Reed has publicly urged Prince Andrew to testify in the US investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, declaring that the victims "deserve and need" his evidence. It is a stunning breach of the usual diplomatic silence surrounding the Royal Family.

Reed’s comments, made during a Sunday interview on Sky News, come in the wake of the release of a "massive trove" of Epstein files, including disturbing photographs that appear to show the former Duke crouching over an unidentified woman. The images have reignited the scandal just as the monarchy hoped it was fading into history.

"Moral Obligation"

While Reed stopped short of promising extradition—calling it "entirely hypothetical"—his language was carefully chosen to inflict maximum moral damage. By stating that anyone with "insight" has a duty to come forward, he effectively stripped Andrew of his royal shield, treating him as a private citizen with public responsibilities.

• The New Evidence: The latest DOJ file dump is damning. Beyond the photographs, which lack context but scream impropriety, there are allegations of a second woman being "sent" to the UK for a sexual encounter. The claim that she received a tour of Buckingham Palace after spending the night with Andrew adds a layer of institutional embarrassment that the King will find hard to ignore.
• Diplomatic Tensions: The US Department of Justice has been frustrated for years by Andrew’s refusal to cooperate. Reed’s intervention suggests that the Labour government is no longer willing to expend political capital to protect the King’s brother.

The End of the Road?

Prince Andrew, now referred to in official correspondence as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has consistently denied all wrongdoing. But with his titles gone and his government now openly questioning his silence, his isolation is complete. The strategy of "wait it out" has failed.

The "hypothetical" question of extradition may soon become a very real constitutional crisis. If US prosecutors formally request his presence, the British government has signaled it will not stand in the way of justice. The message from Westminster to Windsor is clear: You are on your own.