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A American legislative committee investigating sex offender financier Jeffrey Epstein has reached out to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Britain’s Prince Andrew, asking that he submit to questioning as part of its probe into Epstein’s criminal operations.

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

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

Records and Accusations

Mountbatten Windsor’s name is listed in papers and flight logs subpoenaed from Epstein’s estate and disclosed by the committee. He has also been charged by one of Epstein’s accusers, the late Virginia Giuffre, of misconduct.

“The panel will investigate accusations of wrongdoing by Mountbatten Windsor, and will seek information on Epstein’s network, associates, and accomplices based on the men’s longstanding and well-documented friendship,” the committee said in a statement.

It demanded information from Mountbatten Windsor on details of his association with Epstein, who died by suicide in a New York prison cell in 2019. Andrew has repeatedly strongly denied any misconduct.

Content of the Request

“It has been documented that your relationship with Mr Epstein began in 1999 and that you stayed connected through and after his 2008 sentencing for procuring minors for prostitution,” the letter said.

It added: “It has also been alleged that you journeyed with Epstein to his New York home, the Queen’s estate at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s secluded island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been alleged of abusing underage individuals. This close relationship with Mr Epstein, coupled with the recently revealed 2011 electronic correspondence in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further confirms our belief that you may have key insights about the offenses committed by Mr Epstein and his accomplices.”

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

Past Statements and Assistance

The letter follows a week after another Democrat on the committee commented: “Andrew should be summoned to appear before the committee. The people should be able to know who was harming women and young girls alongside Epstein.”

However, the lawmaker does not hold the ability to compel the former prince and Congress itself cannot oblige statements from a non-US citizen.

In 2020, US agencies said that Mountbatten Windsor neglected to cooperate to US demands for an meeting. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that lawyers and the FBI had approached Andrew’s attorneys to follow up on his earlier promise that he was “prepared to help any relevant law enforcement agency”.

“It’s reasonable 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 Transparency

The lawmaker said in a comment that “rich and well-connected men have evaded accountability for far too long. Now, former Prince Andrew has the chance to come clean and secure redress for the survivors. Oversight Democrats will not cease pushing for accountability and openness for victims of Epstein and his group of accomplices.”

Another signatory, a Virginia Democrat, said that after hearing testimony to the committee from Epstein’s accusers, as well as media coverage of leaked documents, “it is crucial that Andrew assists with the active inquiry. If he is blameless, then he can clear his name.”

The lawmaker continued: “And if not, our investigation will show that, and the survivors will receive belated justice. The royal household’s actions removing Andrew of his honors suggest there is additional to this situation.”

The letter came on the same day the British king publicly removed Mountbatten Windsor of his HRH style. Charles III formally made the alteration – which had been revealed a week ago – by issuing a “royal decree” which the royal office released in the Gazette, the UK’s government journal.