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A US congressional panel looking into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has formally written to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, previously Britain’s Prince Andrew, asking that he undergo a deposition as part of its inquiry into Epstein’s criminal operations.

In a document published on Thursday, a US representative, the top Democrat on the House oversight panel, requested that King Charles III’s younger brother assist with its investigation.

The formal request to answer questions follows a week after Mountbatten Windsor was relieved of his HRH style and agreed to give up his leased home in Windsor.

Files and Accusations

Mountbatten Windsor’s name is listed in documents and aviation records obtained from Epstein’s estate and made public by the committee. He has also been accused by one of Epstein’s victims, the late Virginia Giuffre, of misconduct.

“The committee will examine allegations of misconduct by Mountbatten Windsor, and will request data on Epstein’s network, circle, and connections based on the men’s long-term and extensively reported friendship,” the committee said in a announcement.

It sought particulars from Mountbatten Windsor on particulars of his association with Epstein, who killed himself in a New York detention facility in 2019. Andrew has repeatedly categorically denied any misconduct.

Details of the Communication

“It has been widely reported that your association with Mr Epstein began in 1999 and that you stayed connected through and after his 2008 sentencing for trafficking underage girls for prostitution,” the letter said.

It stated further: “It has also been alleged that you traveled with Epstein to his New York home, the Queen’s residence at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s secluded island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been accused of harming underage individuals. This intimate friendship with Mr Epstein, combined with the newly disclosed 2011 email exchange in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further supports 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 endorsed by 13 other Democrats on the committee and demands a answer by 20 November.

Previous Statements and Cooperation

The letter comes a week after another Democrat on the committee told: “Andrew should be asked to appear before the panel. The people should be able to know who was assaulting women and underage individuals alongside Epstein.”

However, the lawmaker does not hold the authority to subpoena the former prince and Congress itself cannot oblige testimony from a foreign national.

In 2020, US authorities said that Mountbatten Windsor neglected to cooperate to US appeals for an meeting. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that lawyers and the FBI had reached out to Andrew’s legal team to follow up on his previous pledge that he was “ready to help any relevant law enforcement agency”.

“It’s reasonable for people to know whether Prince Andrew has fulfilled with that public commitment,” the attorney said, adding that to date he had “provided no cooperation”.

Demands for Accountability

The representative said in a statement that “affluent and powerful men have evaded justice for far too long. Now, former Prince Andrew has the option to be honest and deliver redress for the affected individuals. We will not stop advocating for accountability and transparency for those affected of Epstein and his gang of partners.”

Another signatory, a Virginia Democrat, said that after hearing accounts to the committee from Epstein’s survivors, as well as news accounts of leaked documents, “it is crucial that Andrew cooperates with the current inquiry. If he is not guilty, then he can prove his innocence.”

The lawmaker continued: “And if not, our examination will reveal that, and the affected individuals will receive much-delayed accountability. The monarchy’s actions removing Andrew of his titles indicate there is further to this case.”

The letter was issued on the same day the British king formally 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 monarch’s office released in the Gazette, the UK’s government journal.