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A US congressional panel investigating pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein has formally written to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Britain’s Prince Andrew, asking that he submit to an interview as part of its investigation into Epstein’s criminal operations.

In a communication made public on Thursday, a California congressman, the senior Democrat on the House oversight panel, urged that King Charles III’s younger brother cooperate with its inquiry.

The official demand to provide testimony comes a week after Mountbatten Windsor was lost his royal title and opted to vacate his rented residence in Windsor.

Files and Allegations

Mountbatten Windsor’s name features in documents and aviation records subpoenaed from Epstein’s estate and made public by the committee. He has also been accused by one of Epstein’s survivors, the late Virginia Giuffre, of abuse.

“The panel will probe accusations of abuse by Mountbatten Windsor, and will demand information on Epstein’s activities, associates, and connections based on the men’s enduring and thoroughly recorded friendship,” the committee said in a press release.

It sought particulars from Mountbatten Windsor on particulars of his relationship with Epstein, who died by suicide in a New York detention facility in 2019. Andrew has consistently strongly denied any wrongdoing.

Content of the Request

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

It continued: “It has also been alleged that you journeyed 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 abusing minors. This intimate friendship with Mr Epstein, coupled with the recently revealed 2011 email exchange in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further confirms our concern that you may have important details about the crimes committed by Mr Epstein and his co-conspirators.”

A notification regarding the letter said it was co-signed by 13 other Democrats on the committee and requests a reply by 20 November.

Previous Remarks and Cooperation

The letter follows a week after another Democrat on the committee told: “Andrew should be summoned to give evidence before the panel. The public deserves to know who was abusing women and underage individuals alongside Epstein.”

However, the representative does not have the ability to legally require the former prince and Congress itself cannot compel statements from a overseas individual.

In 2020, US agencies said that Mountbatten Windsor did not cooperate to US demands for an meeting. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that authorities and the FBI had approached Andrew’s lawyers to inquire on his public commitment that he was “ready to help any appropriate law enforcement agency”.

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

Appeals for Justice

The lawmaker said in a comment that “rich and influential men have evaded the law for far too long. Now, former Prince Andrew has the chance to tell the truth and deliver accountability for the victims. We will not halt advocating for responsibility and openness for survivors of Epstein and his group of partners.”

Another endorser, a Virginia Democrat, said that after listening to testimony to the committee from Epstein’s accusers, as well as news accounts of leaked documents, “it is crucial that Andrew works together with the ongoing inquiry. If he is blameless, then he can clear his name.”

The lawmaker added: “And if not, our probe will show that, and the affected individuals will receive belated accountability. The Royal Family’s actions taking away Andrew of his styles show there is additional to this situation.”

The letter came on the same day the British king publicly revoked Mountbatten Windsor of his princely title. Charles III officially made the adjustment – which had been revealed a week ago – by issuing a “official document” which the crown office published in the Gazette, the UK’s public registry.