King Charles‘ appearance at London Fashion Week hours after ex-Prince Andrew’s arrest signaled that official duties continued for the British royal family. The monarch sat front row at Tolu Coker’s runway show on the afternoon of Thursday, February 19. He also toured several other exhibitions, including those by Stella McCartney and Brand63Africa.
King Charles attends London Fashion Week 2026 amid ex-Prince Andrew’s arrest
At the opening show of London Fashion Week 2026, King Charles sat front row at Tolu Coker’s presentation alongside Laura Weir, CEO of the British Fashion Council. His appearance at Coker’s show was notable, as the British-Nigerian designer is a beneficiary of the King’s Trust, formerly known as the Prince’s Trust. McCartney also joined Weir and Charles for the opening show.
Hours before King Charles arrived in Central London, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The arrest was reportedly linked to his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his time working with the UK government. Per the Daily Mail, Mountbatten-Windsor has since been released.
Charles addressed Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest in a press release earlier in the day (via Vanity Fair). The statement read, “I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office.”
He noted that the authorities would have the royal family’s “full and wholehearted support and cooperation.” He also stated that he would not comment further on the matter. “Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all,” he finished.
Numerous reports have suggested that neither King Charles nor Buckingham Palace had prior information about the ex-Prince’s arrest. Per PEOPLE, before arriving at London Fashion Week, the King held audiences at St. James’s Palace. Queen Camilla also carried out engagements on Thursday. Dressed in black, she met musicians at a lunchtime concert at Sinfonia Smith Square Hall in London.