Congressional Panel Seeks Deposition with Prince Andrew in Jeffrey Epstein Inquiry

A American legislative committee probing convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has sent a letter to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, previously Britain’s Prince Andrew, demanding that he participate in questioning as part of its inquiry into Epstein’s illegal activities.

In a document released on Thursday, a California congressman, the leading Democrat on the House investigative committee, requested that King Charles III’s sibling cooperate with its probe.

The formal request to answer questions comes a week after Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his princely title and consented to surrender his leased home in Windsor.

Documents and Allegations

Mountbatten Windsor’s name appears in papers and flight logs secured from Epstein’s estate and disclosed by the committee. He has also been alleged by one of Epstein’s accusers, the late Virginia Giuffre, of sexual assault.

“The oversight committee will investigate claims of abuse by Mountbatten Windsor, and will seek information on Epstein’s operations, network, and connections based on the men’s longstanding and extensively reported friendship,” the committee said in a press release.

It requested particulars from Mountbatten Windsor on specifics of his relationship with Epstein, who killed himself in a New York jail cell in 2019. Andrew has always categorically denied any misconduct.

Content of the Letter

“It has been documented that your friendship with Mr Epstein began in 1999 and that you stayed connected through and after his 2008 conviction for procuring minors for commercial sex acts,” the letter said.

It added: “It has also been reported that you went with Epstein to his New York property, the Queen’s estate at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s personal island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been charged of assaulting minors. This strong bond with Mr Epstein, combined with the freshly uncovered 2011 digital communication in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further supports our concern that you may have key insights about the wrongdoings 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 demands a answer by 20 November.

Earlier Statements and Cooperation

The letter arrives a week after another Democrat on the committee stated: “Andrew should be summoned to testify before the committee. The citizens has the right to know who was abusing women and minors alongside Epstein.”

However, the lawmaker does not hold the power to compel the ex-royal and Congress itself cannot compel statements from a overseas individual.

In 2020, US agencies said that Mountbatten Windsor neglected to respond to US appeals for an meeting. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that authorities and the FBI had contacted Andrew’s attorneys to follow up on his public commitment that he was “ready to help any relevant law enforcement agency”.

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

Demands for Accountability

The lawmaker said in a comment that “wealthy and influential men have evaded the law for far too long. Now, former Prince Andrew has the option to be honest and secure accountability for the affected individuals. We will not stop fighting for responsibility and clarity for those affected of Epstein and his gang of co-conspirators.”

Another supporter, a Virginia Democrat, said that after listening to accounts to the committee from Epstein’s accusers, as well as public reporting of leaked documents, “it is vital that Andrew cooperates with the current probe. If he is not guilty, then he can prove his innocence.”

The lawmaker continued: “And if not, our investigation will demonstrate that, and the affected individuals will receive belated redress. The royal household’s actions stripping Andrew of his styles show there is additional to this situation.”

The letter was issued on the same day the British king publicly stripped Mountbatten Windsor of his royal title. Charles III formally made the change – which had been revealed a week ago – by issuing a “royal decree” which the royal office made public in the Gazette, the UK’s public registry.