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A American legislative body looking into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has reached out to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Britain’s Prince Andrew, asking that he submit to questioning 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 assist with its probe.

The formal request to answer questions comes a week after Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his princely title and agreed to vacate his property in Windsor.

Files and Allegations

Mountbatten Windsor’s name appears in records and flight logs secured 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 misconduct.

“The committee will examine accusations of misconduct by Mountbatten Windsor, and will request details on Epstein’s network, associates, and accomplices based on the men’s long-term and well-documented friendship,” the committee said in a announcement.

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

Details of the Communication

“It has been publicly reported that your association with Mr Epstein began in 1999 and that you remained close through and after his 2008 guilty verdict for trafficking underage girls for commercial sex acts,” the letter said.

It added: “It has also been claimed that you went with Epstein to his New York residence, the Queen’s residence at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been alleged of assaulting underage individuals. This close relationship with Mr Epstein, coupled with the freshly uncovered 2011 digital communication in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further confirms our belief that you may have valuable information about the wrongdoings committed by Mr Epstein and his accomplices.”

A announcement regarding the letter said it was supported by 13 other Democrats on the committee and requests a reply by 20 November.

Previous Remarks and Cooperation

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

However, the representative does not possess the power to legally require the duke and Congress itself cannot compel evidence from a non-US citizen.

In 2020, US authorities said that Mountbatten Windsor did not respond to US demands for an discussion. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that prosecutors and the FBI had contacted Andrew’s lawyers to inquire on his previous pledge that he was “prepared to help any appropriate law enforcement agency”.

“It’s just for people to know whether Prince Andrew has fulfilled with that assurance,” the attorney said, adding that to date he had “offered zero cooperation”.

Demands for Accountability

The lawmaker said in a statement that “wealthy and well-connected men have evaded accountability for far too long. Now, one-time Prince Andrew has the opportunity to tell the truth and provide accountability for the affected individuals. We will not halt advocating for answerability and openness for those affected of Epstein and his group of co-conspirators.”

Another supporter, a Virginia Democrat, said that after listening to evidence to the committee from Epstein’s victims, as well as news accounts of disclosed papers, “it is crucial that Andrew works together with the ongoing investigation. If he is not guilty, then he can clear his name.”

The lawmaker added: “And if not, our examination will show that, and the affected individuals will receive much-delayed justice. The royal household’s actions taking away Andrew of his styles indicate there is more to this story.”

The letter came on the same day the British king publicly removed Mountbatten Windsor of his HRH style. Charles III publicly made the adjustment – which had been revealed a week ago – by issuing a “letters patent” which the crown office released in the Gazette, the UK’s official public record.