House Committee Asks for Deposition with Andrew in Epstein Investigation

A US congressional committee looking into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has formally written to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, once Britain’s Prince Andrew, demanding that he undergo an interview as part of its probe into Epstein’s criminal operations.

In a document made public on Thursday, a lawmaker, the senior Democrat on the House oversight panel, requested that King Charles III’s sibling help with its probe.

The formal request to answer questions comes a week after Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his HRH style and opted to surrender his property in Windsor.

Files and Accusations

Mountbatten Windsor’s name features in documents and travel logs subpoenaed from Epstein’s estate and disclosed by the committee. He has also been charged by one of Epstein’s survivors, the late Virginia Giuffre, of misconduct.

“The panel will probe allegations of misconduct by Mountbatten Windsor, and will seek information on Epstein’s operations, circle, and accomplices based on the men’s longstanding and thoroughly recorded 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 detention facility in 2019. Andrew has consistently categorically denied any wrongdoing.

Substance of the Letter

“It has been widely reported that your friendship with Mr Epstein started in 1999 and that you stayed connected through and after his 2008 guilty verdict for trafficking underage girls for sex work,” the letter said.

It continued: “It has also been reported that you journeyed with Epstein to his New York home, the Queen’s home at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been accused of abusing minors. This intimate friendship with Mr Epstein, combined with the freshly uncovered 2011 electronic correspondence in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further supports our suspicion that you may have key insights about the offenses committed by Mr Epstein and his partners in crime.”

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

Previous Comments and Assistance

The letter comes a week after another Democrat on the committee stated: “Andrew should be called to appear before the panel. The public should be able to know who was assaulting women and underage individuals alongside Epstein.”

However, the representative does not have the ability to subpoena the duke and Congress itself cannot oblige evidence from a foreign national.

In 2020, US authorities said that Mountbatten Windsor neglected to reply to US requests for an interview. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that prosecutors and the FBI had reached out to Andrew’s attorneys to check on his public commitment that he was “willing to help any suitable law enforcement agency”.

“It’s just for people to know whether Prince Andrew has honored with that public commitment,” the attorney said, adding that to date he had “given no cooperation”.

Demands for Justice

The representative said in a statement that “rich and influential men have evaded accountability for far too long. Now, former Prince Andrew has the opportunity to be honest and secure justice for the affected individuals. The committee will not cease advocating for accountability and clarity for victims of Epstein and his gang of partners.”

Another supporter, a Virginia Democrat, said that after receiving testimony to the committee from Epstein’s survivors, as well as media coverage of disclosed papers, “it is essential that Andrew assists with the current inquiry. If he is blameless, then he can clear his name.”

The lawmaker added: “And if not, our investigation will demonstrate that, and the survivors will receive belated accountability. The monarchy’s actions stripping Andrew of his honors show there is additional to this situation.”

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