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A American legislative body investigating convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has reached out to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Britain’s Prince Andrew, asking that he submit to an interview as part of its inquiry into Epstein’s criminal operations.

In a document made public on Thursday, a lawmaker, the top Democrat on the House investigative committee, requested that King Charles III’s brother cooperate with its investigation.

The written appeal to respond to queries follows a week after Mountbatten Windsor was lost his royal title and consented to surrender his leased home in Windsor.

Records and Allegations

Mountbatten Windsor’s name features in documents and aviation records obtained from Epstein’s estate and disclosed by the committee. He has also been charged by one of Epstein’s survivors, the late Virginia Giuffre, of sexual assault.

“The panel will investigate claims of abuse by Mountbatten Windsor, and will request details on Epstein’s operations, circle, and associates based on the men’s long-term and thoroughly recorded friendship,” the committee said in a press release.

It sought details from Mountbatten Windsor on details of his friendship with Epstein, who killed himself in a New York prison cell in 2019. Andrew has consistently strongly denied any impropriety.

Details of the Letter

“It has been documented that your relationship with Mr Epstein commenced in 1999 and that you stayed connected through and after his 2008 guilty verdict for soliciting minors for sex work,” the letter said.

It stated further: “It has also been reported that you traveled with Epstein to his New York home, the Queen’s estate at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s personal island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been accused of harming underage individuals. This close relationship with Mr Epstein, combined with the newly disclosed 2011 electronic correspondence in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further confirms our concern 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 co-signed by 13 other Democrats on the committee and asks a reply by 20 November.

Previous Remarks and Collaboration

The letter arrives a week after another Democrat on the committee commented: “Andrew should be called to give evidence before the oversight committee. The public has the right to know who was harming women and minors alongside Epstein.”

However, the lawmaker does not possess the authority to subpoena the ex-royal and Congress itself cannot force testimony from a overseas individual.

In 2020, US officials said that Mountbatten Windsor neglected to cooperate to US requests for an interview. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that lawyers and the FBI had reached out to Andrew’s attorneys to inquire on his previous pledge that he was “prepared to help any suitable 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 congressman said in a statement that “wealthy and influential men have evaded the law for far too long. Now, one-time Prince Andrew has the chance to be honest and deliver accountability for the affected individuals. The committee will not stop pushing for answerability and transparency for those affected of Epstein and his network of co-conspirators.”

Another endorser, a Virginia Democrat, said that after listening to evidence to the committee from Epstein’s victims, as well as public reporting of released files, “it is vital that Andrew assists with the current inquiry. If he is innocent, then he can vindicate himself.”

The lawmaker continued: “And if not, our examination will demonstrate that, and the victims will receive long overdue justice. The monarchy’s actions removing Andrew of his honors show there is further to this story.”

The letter came on the same day the British king formally removed Mountbatten Windsor of his royal title. Charles III publicly made the change – which had been announced a week ago – by issuing a “royal decree” which the monarch’s office made public in the Gazette, the UK’s official public record.