🔗 Share this article

A American legislative body investigating sex offender financier Jeffrey Epstein has formally written to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, once Britain’s Prince Andrew, requesting that he participate in a deposition as part of its investigation into Epstein’s criminal operations.

In a document released on Thursday, a California congressman, the top Democrat on the House investigative committee, asked that King Charles III’s younger brother cooperate with its probe.

The formal request to provide testimony follows a week after Mountbatten Windsor was lost his princely title and opted to vacate his leased home in Windsor.

Files and Allegations

Mountbatten Windsor’s name is listed in papers and travel logs subpoenaed from Epstein’s estate and disclosed by the committee. He has also been alleged by one of Epstein’s victims, the late Virginia Giuffre, of misconduct.

“The panel will examine accusations of misconduct by Mountbatten Windsor, and will seek information on Epstein’s activities, network, and associates based on the men’s enduring and thoroughly recorded friendship,” the committee said in a announcement.

It demanded particulars from Mountbatten Windsor on details of his friendship with Epstein, who killed himself in a New York prison cell in 2019. Andrew has repeatedly strongly denied any wrongdoing.

Content of the Communication

“It has been documented that your association with Mr Epstein started in 1999 and that you continued associating through and after his 2008 guilty verdict for trafficking underage girls for prostitution,” the letter said.

It continued: “It has also been alleged that you traveled with Epstein to his New York home, the Queen’s residence at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s personal island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been alleged of abusing young girls. This strong bond with Mr Epstein, along with the freshly uncovered 2011 electronic correspondence in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further supports our belief that you may have valuable information about the offenses committed by Mr Epstein and his accomplices.”

A announcement regarding the letter said it was endorsed by 13 other Democrats on the committee and demands a response by 20 November.

Past Remarks and Assistance

The letter comes a week after another Democrat on the committee told: “Andrew should be called to give evidence before the panel. The people has the right to know who was assaulting women and young girls alongside Epstein.”

However, the representative does not hold the ability to compel the former prince and Congress itself cannot compel evidence from a non-US citizen.

In 2020, US officials said that Mountbatten Windsor did not reply to US requests for an meeting. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that prosecutors and the FBI had approached Andrew’s attorneys to check on his previous pledge that he was “prepared to help any relevant law enforcement agency”.

“It’s reasonable for people to know whether Prince Andrew has fulfilled with that pledge,” the attorney said, adding that to date he had “offered absolutely no cooperation”.

Appeals for Justice

The congressman said in a statement that “wealthy and influential men have avoided justice for far too long. Now, one-time Prince Andrew has the option to come clean and deliver redress for the affected individuals. Oversight Democrats will not stop pushing for accountability and openness for those affected of Epstein and his gang of co-conspirators.”

Another supporter, a Virginia Democrat, said that after listening to testimony to the committee from Epstein’s accusers, as well as media coverage of disclosed papers, “it is vital that Andrew cooperates with the ongoing inquiry. If he is innocent, then he can prove his innocence.”

The lawmaker added: “And if not, our probe will show that, and the victims will receive belated accountability. The Royal Family’s actions taking away Andrew of his styles indicate there is additional to this case.”

The letter was sent on the same day the British king officially removed Mountbatten Windsor of his royal title. Charles III publicly made the alteration – which had been announced a week ago – by issuing a “royal decree” which the crown office released in the Gazette, the UK’s official public record.