Britain's King Charles heckled over brother Prince Andrew

LONDON (Reuters) -King Charles was heckled by a protester on Monday over his brother Prince Andrew's ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while greeting royal fans during a cathedral visit in Britain.

"How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?," the man could be heard shouting as the monarch went on a walkabout outside Lichfield Cathedral in northwest England close to Birmingham.

Although Andrew, 65, said this month that he would give up using his title of Duke of York after years of scrutiny over his behaviour and connections to Epstein, questions about the prince - and what the royals knew of events - have intensified since.

The contents of a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who accused the prince of sexually abusing her as a teenager, have triggered renewed backlash over the issue this month.

Andrew has always denied Giuffre's account. In 2022, he made an undisclosed payment to settle a lawsuit brought in the U.S. by Giuffre, who died by suicide in April.

British police are looking into media reports that in 2011 Andrew had asked one of his police officers to dig up dirt on Giuffre.

The protester outside the cathedral could also be heard saying on Monday: "Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew? ... Should the MPs (members of parliament) be allowed to debate the royals in the House of Commons?"

The monarch paid no heed to the protester and carried on engaging with other members of the public.

(Reporting by Muvija M; Editing by Sharon Singleton)