King Charles backs police probe into former Prince Andrew's Epstein links

Thames Valley Police opened the probe after reports of emails suggesting Prince Andrew shared trade reports with Jeffrey Epstein following his 2010 Southeast Asia tour as Britain's trade envoy

Buckingham Palace said Monday that King Charles III will "support'' UK police assessing reports that the former Prince Andrew gave confidential information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The statement came after police said they were examining reports that the former prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, sent trade reports to Epstein in 2010.

Thames Valley Police, which serves areas west of London, including the ex-royal's former home in Windsor, launched the inquiry after news organisations reported on emails that suggest the then-prince sent Epstein reports from a 2010 tour of Southeast Asia he took as Britain's envoy for international trade.