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A American legislative panel probing convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has formally written to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Britain’s Prince Andrew, requesting that he participate in a deposition as part of its investigation into Epstein’s wrongdoings.

In a communication published on Thursday, a California congressman, the leading Democrat on the House investigative committee, urged that King Charles III’s brother help with its investigation.

The formal request to provide testimony comes a week after Mountbatten Windsor was relieved of his royal title and consented to give up his property in Windsor.

Files and Allegations

Mountbatten Windsor’s name features in documents and travel logs subpoenaed 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 committee will examine claims of wrongdoing by Mountbatten Windsor, and will seek information on Epstein’s network, network, and connections based on the men’s long-term and well-documented friendship,” the committee said in a announcement.

It requested information from Mountbatten Windsor on particulars of his friendship with Epstein, who died by suicide in a New York detention facility in 2019. Andrew has repeatedly vehemently rejected any impropriety.

Substance of the Request

“It has been widely reported that your relationship with Mr Epstein commenced in 1999 and that you remained close through and after his 2008 conviction for trafficking underage girls for sex work,” the letter said.

It continued: “It has also been alleged that you traveled with Epstein to his New York residence, the Queen’s residence at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s personal island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been charged of abusing minors. This close relationship with Mr Epstein, coupled with the newly disclosed 2011 electronic correspondence in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further bolsters our suspicion that you may have important details about the crimes committed by Mr Epstein and his co-conspirators.”

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

Previous Statements and Assistance

The letter comes a week after another Democrat on the committee stated: “Andrew should be asked to give evidence before the committee. The citizens deserves to know who was abusing women and underage individuals alongside Epstein.”

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

In 2020, US officials said that Mountbatten Windsor failed to reply to US appeals for an interview. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that lawyers and the FBI had contacted Andrew’s attorneys to follow up on his earlier promise that he was “ready to help any suitable law enforcement agency”.

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

Demands for Accountability

The congressman said in a comment that “affluent and powerful men have escaped the law for far too long. Now, one-time Prince Andrew has the chance to come clean and secure accountability for the survivors. We will not cease pushing for answerability and transparency for victims of Epstein and his network of accomplices.”

Another signatory, a Virginia Democrat, said that after listening to evidence to the committee from Epstein’s victims, as well as public reporting of leaked documents, “it is essential that Andrew works together with the active investigation. If he is not guilty, then he can clear his name.”

The lawmaker added: “And if not, our probe will reveal that, and the survivors will receive belated justice. The Royal Family’s actions removing Andrew of his titles show there is further to this situation.”

The letter was sent on the same day the British king publicly removed Mountbatten Windsor of his HRH style. Charles III publicly made the adjustment – which had been announced a week ago – by issuing a “official document” which the crown office published in the Gazette, the UK’s government journal.