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A American legislative committee investigating sex offender financier Jeffrey Epstein has sent a letter to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Britain’s Prince Andrew, demanding that he submit to a deposition as part of its investigation into Epstein’s illegal activities.

In a letter published on Thursday, a US representative, the senior Democrat on the House oversight panel, asked that King Charles III’s younger brother cooperate with its inquiry.

The written appeal to respond to queries arrives a week after Mountbatten Windsor was lost his royal title and opted to give up his rented residence in Windsor.

Files and Claims

Mountbatten Windsor’s name features in documents and travel logs secured from Epstein’s estate and publicly released by the committee. He has also been charged by one of Epstein’s victims, the late Virginia Giuffre, of abuse.

“The oversight committee will investigate claims of misconduct by Mountbatten Windsor, and will demand information on Epstein’s network, network, and accomplices based on the men’s longstanding and well-documented friendship,” the committee said in a press release.

It requested particulars from Mountbatten Windsor on particulars of his relationship with Epstein, who killed himself in a New York prison cell in 2019. Andrew has repeatedly strongly denied any impropriety.

Content of the Communication

“It has been documented that your friendship with Mr Epstein commenced in 1999 and that you continued associating through and after his 2008 conviction for trafficking underage girls for prostitution,” the letter said.

It stated further: “It has also been alleged that you traveled with Epstein to his New York residence, the Queen’s home at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been charged of assaulting underage individuals. This strong bond with Mr Epstein, coupled with the recently revealed 2011 electronic correspondence 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 partners in crime.”

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

Previous Comments and Assistance

The letter arrives a week after another Democrat on the committee told: “Andrew should be called to appear before the panel. The citizens deserves to know who was abusing women and minors alongside Epstein.”

However, the congressman does not hold the authority to compel the duke and Congress itself cannot compel testimony from a non-US citizen.

In 2020, US authorities said that Mountbatten Windsor neglected to reply to US demands for an discussion. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that prosecutors and the FBI had approached Andrew’s lawyers to follow up on his public commitment that he was “ready to help any suitable law enforcement agency”.

“It’s just for people to know whether Prince Andrew has followed through with that pledge,” the attorney said, adding that to date he had “given zero cooperation”.

Demands for Accountability

The congressman said in a announcement that “rich and well-connected men have evaded accountability for far too long. Now, former Prince Andrew has the opportunity to tell the truth and provide justice for the victims. We will not stop fighting for answerability and transparency for victims of Epstein and his group of accomplices.”

Another signatory, a Virginia Democrat, said that after listening to accounts to the committee from Epstein’s victims, as well as news accounts of disclosed papers, “it is vital that Andrew works together with the active investigation. If he is innocent, then he can clear his name.”

The lawmaker continued: “And if not, our investigation will show that, and the victims will receive long overdue justice. The Royal Family’s actions removing Andrew of his honors show there is additional to this case.”

The letter was sent on the same day the British king officially revoked Mountbatten Windsor of his royal title. Charles III officially made the change – which had been declared a week ago – by issuing a “royal decree” which the royal office made public in the Gazette, the UK’s government journal.