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A American legislative body probing convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has formally written to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, previously Britain’s Prince Andrew, demanding that he submit to a deposition as part of its investigation into Epstein’s wrongdoings.

In a letter released on Thursday, a California congressman, the senior Democrat on the House oversight committee, urged that King Charles III’s younger brother help with its inquiry.

The formal request to answer questions follows a week after Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his HRH style and opted to give up his rented residence in Windsor.

Records and Accusations

Mountbatten Windsor’s name is listed in papers and aviation records subpoenaed from Epstein’s estate and made public by the committee. He has also been alleged by one of Epstein’s accusers, the late Virginia Giuffre, of sexual assault.

“The committee will examine allegations of misconduct by Mountbatten Windsor, and will seek details on Epstein’s operations, circle, and connections based on the men’s longstanding and extensively reported friendship,” the committee said in a press release.

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

Details of the Request

“It has been widely reported that your friendship with Mr Epstein began in 1999 and that you continued associating through and after his 2008 conviction for soliciting minors for prostitution,” the letter said.

It stated further: “It has also been alleged that you journeyed with Epstein to his New York property, the Queen’s home at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s personal island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been accused of abusing young girls. This close relationship with Mr Epstein, along with the recently revealed 2011 digital communication in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further bolsters our suspicion that you may have key insights about the offenses committed by Mr Epstein and his accomplices.”

A notification regarding the letter said it was endorsed by 13 other Democrats on the committee and demands a answer by 20 November.

Past Comments and Collaboration

The letter comes a week after another Democrat on the committee commented: “Andrew should be asked to testify before the oversight committee. The citizens has the right to know who was assaulting women and underage individuals alongside Epstein.”

However, the congressman does not possess the authority to compel the ex-royal and Congress itself cannot oblige statements from a foreign national.

In 2020, US agencies said that Mountbatten Windsor neglected to respond to US demands for an interview. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that prosecutors and the FBI had contacted Andrew’s attorneys to inquire on his public commitment that he was “willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency”.

“It’s just for people to know whether Prince Andrew has honored with that public commitment,” the attorney said, adding that to date he had “provided zero cooperation”.

Calls for Accountability

The representative said in a announcement that “affluent and powerful men have escaped the law for far too long. Now, former Prince Andrew has the opportunity to be honest and deliver justice for the affected individuals. Oversight Democrats will not halt pushing for answerability and openness for those affected of Epstein and his gang of accomplices.”

Another endorser, a Virginia Democrat, said that after listening to testimony to the committee from Epstein’s survivors, as well as media coverage of released files, “it is essential that Andrew assists with the active probe. If he is blameless, then he can clear his name.”

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

The letter was issued on the same day the British king publicly stripped Mountbatten Windsor of his HRH style. Charles III publicly made the change – which had been announced a week ago – by issuing a “royal decree” which the royal office made public in the Gazette, the UK’s public registry.