🔗 Share this article

A American legislative body probing sex offender financier Jeffrey Epstein has formally written to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Britain’s Prince Andrew, demanding that he undergo a deposition as part of its probe into Epstein’s wrongdoings.

In a letter published on Thursday, a US representative, the leading Democrat on the House oversight panel, urged that King Charles III’s sibling cooperate with its inquiry.

The written appeal to respond to queries comes a week after Mountbatten Windsor was lost his HRH style and opted to surrender his rented residence in Windsor.

Files and Allegations

Mountbatten Windsor’s name is listed in records and travel logs subpoenaed from Epstein’s estate and publicly released by the committee. He has also been alleged by one of Epstein’s survivors, the late Virginia Giuffre, of sexual assault.

“The committee will examine claims of misconduct by Mountbatten Windsor, and will seek details on Epstein’s operations, associates, and associates based on the men’s longstanding and well-documented friendship,” the committee said in a press release.

It demanded particulars from Mountbatten Windsor on details of his relationship with Epstein, who took his own life in a New York jail cell in 2019. Andrew has repeatedly categorically denied any impropriety.

Details of the Request

“It has been documented that your friendship with Mr Epstein began in 1999 and that you continued associating through and after his 2008 conviction for soliciting minors for sex work,” the letter said.

It continued: “It has also been reported that you went with Epstein to his New York residence, the Queen’s residence at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been alleged of assaulting young girls. This close relationship with Mr Epstein, combined with the recently revealed 2011 digital communication in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further bolsters our concern that you may have important details about the crimes committed by Mr Epstein and his co-conspirators.”

A notification regarding the letter said it was supported by 13 other Democrats on the committee and requests a response by 20 November.

Previous Statements and Collaboration

The letter follows a week after another Democrat on the committee stated: “Andrew should be asked to appear before the committee. The citizens should be able to know who was abusing women and young girls alongside Epstein.”

However, the lawmaker does not have the ability to compel the duke and Congress itself cannot compel statements from a foreign national.

In 2020, US authorities said that Mountbatten Windsor neglected to cooperate to US appeals for an meeting. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that authorities and the FBI had approached Andrew’s legal team to check on his previous pledge 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 pledge,” the attorney said, adding that to date he had “given absolutely no cooperation”.

Calls for Transparency

The lawmaker said in a statement that “affluent and influential men have escaped accountability for far too long. Now, one-time Prince Andrew has the opportunity to be honest and deliver redress for the survivors. We will not cease advocating for accountability and clarity for survivors of Epstein and his gang of co-conspirators.”

Another supporter, a Virginia Democrat, said that after hearing evidence to the committee from Epstein’s accusers, as well as public reporting of disclosed papers, “it is essential that Andrew assists with the current inquiry. If he is not guilty, then he can clear his name.”

The lawmaker added: “And if not, our probe will show that, and the victims will receive belated redress. The Royal Family’s actions taking away Andrew of his titles show there is further to this situation.”

The letter came on the same day the British king formally stripped Mountbatten Windsor of his HRH style. Charles III officially made the adjustment – which had been announced a week ago – by issuing a “official document” which the crown office released in the Gazette, the UK’s government journal.