House Panel Seeks Interview with Andrew in Epstein Probe
A American legislative body investigating pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein has formally written to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Britain’s Prince Andrew, asking that he participate in an interview as part of its investigation into Epstein’s wrongdoings.
In a communication made public on Thursday, a US representative, the leading Democrat on the House oversight committee, urged that King Charles III’s brother assist with its probe.
The written appeal to respond to queries comes a week after Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his princely title and agreed to vacate his leased home in Windsor.
Documents and Accusations
Mountbatten Windsor’s name is listed in documents and flight logs obtained from Epstein’s estate and disclosed by the committee. He has also been accused by one of Epstein’s accusers, the late Virginia Giuffre, of abuse.
“The committee will examine accusations of abuse by Mountbatten Windsor, and will demand information on Epstein’s network, associates, and associates based on the men’s long-term and extensively reported friendship,” the committee said in a press release.
It requested particulars from Mountbatten Windsor on particulars of his association with Epstein, who killed himself in a New York prison cell in 2019. Andrew has consistently vehemently rejected any wrongdoing.
Content of the Request
“It has been widely reported that your friendship with Mr Epstein commenced in 1999 and that you continued associating through and after his 2008 conviction for procuring minors for sex work,” the letter said.
It added: “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 private island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been accused of abusing minors. This strong bond with Mr Epstein, coupled with the newly disclosed 2011 electronic correspondence in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further supports our concern that you may have valuable information about the crimes committed by Mr Epstein and his partners in crime.”
A announcement regarding the letter said it was supported by 13 other Democrats on the committee and demands a answer by 20 November.
Previous Statements and Cooperation
The letter follows a week after another Democrat on the committee told: “Andrew should be called to appear before the panel. The public deserves to know who was harming women and young girls alongside Epstein.”
However, the congressman does not hold the authority to subpoena the former prince and Congress itself cannot oblige statements from a foreign national.
In 2020, US authorities said that Mountbatten Windsor neglected to respond to US demands for an meeting. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that authorities and the FBI had contacted Andrew’s legal team to check on his public commitment that he was “prepared to help any suitable law enforcement agency”.
“It’s just for people to know whether Prince Andrew has fulfilled with that public commitment,” the attorney said, adding that to date he had “provided no cooperation”.
Calls for Transparency
The congressman said in a announcement that “wealthy and influential men have evaded accountability for far too long. Now, ex- Prince Andrew has the opportunity to tell the truth and secure accountability for the victims. We will not stop advocating for accountability and transparency for those affected of Epstein and his group of co-conspirators.”
Another signatory, a Virginia Democrat, said that after receiving testimony to the committee from Epstein’s accusers, as well as news accounts of disclosed papers, “it is essential that Andrew assists with the active inquiry. If he is innocent, then he can prove his innocence.”
The lawmaker added: “And if not, our investigation will demonstrate that, and the victims will receive belated redress. The Royal Family’s actions removing Andrew of his titles suggest there is additional to this story.”
The letter was issued on the same day the British king formally revoked Mountbatten Windsor of his royal title. Charles III officially made the alteration – which had been declared a week ago – by issuing a “official document” which the monarch’s office released in the Gazette, the UK’s official public record.
