London, UK - Prince William and his wife Kate have been "deeply concerned" by the latest revelations linking William's uncle Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Kensington Palace said Monday.

"I can confirm that the Prince and Princess of Wales have been deeply concerned by the continued revelations," the palace said in a statement.

It added that "their thoughts remain focused on the victims" of Epstein, who died in prison awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in 2019.

The statement was the first public comment from the heir to the throne and his wife on the scandal since the latest release of Epstein files more than a week ago, as the monarchy faces scrutiny over the scandal.

It follows a renewed furor over Andrew's close links to Epstein, with King Charles III's brother under pressure to further explain them.

Andrew stepped back from royal duties in 2019 over the ties and following claims by Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre that she was trafficked to have sex with the disgraced royal three times, including twice when she was 17.

King Charles III stripped his brother of his royal titles and honors late last year after Giuffre recounted the claims in shocking detail in a posthumous memoir.

Last week, it emerged that a second alleged Epstein victim has claimed through her lawyer that the late US financier had sent her to Britain in 2010 to have sex with Andrew.

The ex-prince, who has strenuously denied any wrongdoing, was ousted from his Windsor mansion home, just west of London, earlier than planned last week in the wake of the latest revelations.