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A American legislative committee probing convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has reached out to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, previously Britain’s Prince Andrew, demanding that he submit to a deposition as part of its investigation into Epstein’s criminal operations.

In a letter published on Thursday, a lawmaker, the leading Democrat on the House investigative committee, requested that King Charles III’s brother assist with its inquiry.

The formal request to provide testimony arrives a week after Mountbatten Windsor was relieved of his princely title and consented to vacate his property in Windsor.

Documents and Allegations

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

“The panel will probe accusations of wrongdoing by Mountbatten Windsor, and will seek data on Epstein’s network, network, and associates based on the men’s longstanding and thoroughly recorded friendship,” the committee said in a press release.

It demanded information from Mountbatten Windsor on details of his association with Epstein, who died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019. Andrew has consistently vehemently rejected any impropriety.

Content of the Letter

“It has been widely reported that your friendship with Mr Epstein commenced in 1999 and that you stayed connected through and after his 2008 sentencing for soliciting minors for commercial sex acts,” the letter said.

It stated further: “It has also been alleged that you traveled with Epstein to his New York home, the Queen’s estate at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been alleged of abusing young girls. This intimate friendship with Mr Epstein, coupled with the freshly uncovered 2011 email exchange in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further supports our suspicion that you may have valuable information about the crimes committed by Mr Epstein and his co-conspirators.”

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

Previous Comments and Cooperation

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

However, the representative does not hold the authority to legally require the ex-royal and Congress itself cannot force testimony from a non-US citizen.

In 2020, US authorities said that Mountbatten Windsor neglected to respond to US demands for an interview. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that authorities and the FBI had contacted Andrew’s legal team to follow up on his earlier promise that he was “prepared to help any suitable law enforcement agency”.

“It’s fair for people to know whether Prince Andrew has followed through with that public commitment,” the attorney said, adding that to date he had “provided absolutely no cooperation”.

Demands for Transparency

The lawmaker said in a announcement that “wealthy and powerful men have avoided accountability for far too long. Now, ex- Prince Andrew has the chance to come clean and deliver accountability for the survivors. The committee will not halt fighting for responsibility and clarity for victims of Epstein and his group of co-conspirators.”

Another supporter, a Virginia Democrat, said that after listening to accounts to the committee from Epstein’s accusers, as well as media coverage of leaked documents, “it is vital that Andrew assists with the active inquiry. If he is innocent, then he can vindicate himself.”

The lawmaker added: “And if not, our probe will show that, and the survivors will receive much-delayed justice. The monarchy’s actions removing Andrew of his styles suggest there is further to this story.”

The letter was sent on the same day the British king publicly stripped Mountbatten Windsor of his princely title. Charles III formally made the change – which had been revealed a week ago – by issuing a “letters patent” which the monarch’s office released in the Gazette, the UK’s official public record.