Congressional Committee Seeks Interview with Andrew in Jeffrey Epstein Inquiry
A US congressional body probing sex offender financier Jeffrey Epstein has reached out to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, previously Britain’s Prince Andrew, demanding that he undergo a deposition as part of its investigation into Epstein’s wrongdoings.
In a document published on Thursday, a lawmaker, the leading Democrat on the House oversight committee, urged that King Charles III’s brother cooperate with its inquiry.
The written appeal to answer questions arrives a week after Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his royal title and agreed to surrender his leased home in Windsor.
Files and Accusations
Mountbatten Windsor’s name features in papers and aviation records secured from Epstein’s estate and disclosed by the committee. He has also been charged by one of Epstein’s accusers, the late Virginia Giuffre, of misconduct.
“The panel will investigate claims of misconduct by Mountbatten Windsor, and will request information on Epstein’s network, circle, and accomplices based on the men’s longstanding and well-documented friendship,” the committee said in a statement.
It requested particulars from Mountbatten Windsor on specifics of his relationship with Epstein, who took his own life in a New York detention facility in 2019. Andrew has consistently vehemently rejected any misconduct.
Substance of the Communication
“It has been publicly reported that your friendship with Mr Epstein began in 1999 and that you remained close through and after his 2008 guilty verdict for soliciting minors for sex work,” the letter said.
It added: “It has also been alleged that you went with Epstein to his New York residence, the Queen’s home at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s personal island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been charged of abusing young girls. This close relationship with Mr Epstein, coupled with the newly disclosed 2011 electronic correspondence in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further confirms our suspicion that you may have key insights about the offenses committed by Mr Epstein and his accomplices.”
A statement regarding the letter said it was co-signed by 13 other Democrats on the committee and requests a response by 20 November.
Past Comments and Cooperation
The letter follows a week after another Democrat on the committee told: “Andrew should be asked to testify before the oversight committee. The citizens has the right to know who was assaulting women and young girls alongside Epstein.”
However, the lawmaker does not possess the ability to compel the duke and Congress itself cannot force statements from a overseas individual.
In 2020, US authorities said that Mountbatten Windsor neglected to cooperate to US requests for an discussion. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that authorities and the FBI had reached out to Andrew’s legal team to follow up on his public commitment that he was “ready to help any relevant law enforcement agency”.
“It’s reasonable for people to know whether Prince Andrew has followed through with that assurance,” the attorney said, adding that to date he had “provided no cooperation”.
Demands for Accountability
The lawmaker said in a comment that “rich and influential men have evaded the law for far too long. Now, former Prince Andrew has the opportunity to tell the truth and secure accountability for the survivors. The committee will not halt advocating for accountability and transparency for victims of Epstein and his network of partners.”
Another supporter, a Virginia Democrat, said that after receiving evidence to the committee from Epstein’s survivors, as well as media coverage of leaked documents, “it is essential that Andrew cooperates with the current probe. If he is blameless, then he can vindicate himself.”
The lawmaker continued: “And if not, our investigation will reveal that, and the victims will receive belated justice. The monarchy’s actions removing Andrew of his honors indicate there is further to this story.”
The letter was issued on the same day the British king officially removed Mountbatten Windsor of his HRH style. Charles III publicly made the change – which had been revealed a week ago – by issuing a “official document” which the royal office published in the Gazette, the UK’s official public record.