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A American legislative body probing convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has reached out to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Britain’s Prince Andrew, requesting that he participate in an interview as part of its inquiry into Epstein’s wrongdoings.

In a document made public on Thursday, a lawmaker, the senior Democrat on the House oversight panel, requested that King Charles III’s younger brother help with its inquiry.

The formal request to provide testimony follows a week after Mountbatten Windsor was relieved of his princely title and consented to give up his rented residence in Windsor.

Records and Claims

Mountbatten Windsor’s name appears in documents and flight logs subpoenaed from Epstein’s estate and made public by the committee. He has also been accused by one of Epstein’s accusers, the late Virginia Giuffre, of sexual assault.

“The panel will probe claims of wrongdoing by Mountbatten Windsor, and will demand data on Epstein’s network, network, and accomplices based on the men’s enduring and extensively reported friendship,” the committee said in a announcement.

It requested information from Mountbatten Windsor on particulars of his friendship with Epstein, who took his own life in a New York prison cell in 2019. Andrew has repeatedly categorically denied any misconduct.

Details of the Letter

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

It stated further: “It has also been claimed that you journeyed 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 alleged of assaulting underage individuals. This strong bond with Mr Epstein, combined with the freshly uncovered 2011 email exchange in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further supports our belief that you may have valuable information about the crimes committed by Mr Epstein and his accomplices.”

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

However, the congressman does not possess the ability to subpoena the duke and Congress itself cannot compel testimony from a overseas individual.

In 2020, US agencies said that Mountbatten Windsor failed to reply to US appeals for an meeting. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that prosecutors and the FBI had approached Andrew’s lawyers to inquire on his public commitment that he was “willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency”.

“It’s reasonable for people to know whether Prince Andrew has fulfilled with that assurance,” the attorney said, adding that to date he had “offered 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, former Prince Andrew has the option to tell the truth and provide redress for the survivors. The committee will not cease pushing for accountability and openness for victims of Epstein and his network of accomplices.”

Another supporter, a Virginia Democrat, said that after receiving evidence 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 prove his innocence.”

The lawmaker added: “And if not, our examination will show that, and the survivors will receive belated redress. The monarchy’s actions taking away Andrew of his honors indicate there is more to this story.”

The letter was issued on the same day the British king publicly revoked Mountbatten Windsor of his princely title. Charles III formally made the alteration – which had been declared a week ago – by issuing a “official document” which the royal office released in the Gazette, the UK’s official public record.