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A American legislative body looking into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has sent a letter to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Britain’s Prince Andrew, requesting that he undergo a deposition as part of its investigation into Epstein’s wrongdoings.

In a letter made public on Thursday, a US representative, the top Democrat on the House oversight panel, asked that King Charles III’s brother assist with its probe.

The written appeal to respond to queries arrives a week after Mountbatten Windsor was lost his princely title and agreed to vacate his leased home in Windsor.

Files and Claims

Mountbatten Windsor’s name features in papers and flight logs obtained from Epstein’s estate and made public by the committee. He has also been accused by one of Epstein’s survivors, the late Virginia Giuffre, of abuse.

“The panel will examine accusations of wrongdoing by Mountbatten Windsor, and will seek data on Epstein’s network, associates, and connections based on the men’s enduring and well-documented friendship,” the committee said in a announcement.

It requested particulars from Mountbatten Windsor on specifics of his friendship with Epstein, who took his own life in a New York prison cell in 2019. Andrew has always vehemently rejected any impropriety.

Substance of the Communication

“It has been publicly reported that your relationship with Mr Epstein began in 1999 and that you continued associating through and after his 2008 conviction for soliciting minors for commercial sex acts,” the letter said.

It stated further: “It has also been alleged that you traveled with Epstein to his New York home, the Queen’s home at Balmoral, and to Mr Epstein’s personal island in the US Virgin Islands, where you have been alleged of assaulting underage individuals. This close relationship with Mr Epstein, coupled with the newly disclosed 2011 electronic correspondence in which you wrote to him ‘we are in this together’, further bolsters our concern that you may have important details about the crimes committed by Mr Epstein and his co-conspirators.”

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

Past Statements and Collaboration

The letter arrives a week after another Democrat on the committee commented: “Andrew should be called to appear before the oversight committee. The people should be able to know who was harming women and underage individuals alongside Epstein.”

However, the congressman does not have the authority to legally require the former prince and Congress itself cannot compel evidence from a non-US citizen.

In 2020, US officials said that Mountbatten Windsor failed to respond to US demands for an meeting. The then US attorney for the southern district of New York said that lawyers and the FBI had contacted Andrew’s lawyers to check on his earlier promise that he was “ready to help any suitable law enforcement agency”.

“It’s fair for people to know whether Prince Andrew has honored with that pledge,” the attorney said, adding that to date he had “given zero cooperation”.

Appeals for Transparency

The representative said in a statement that “wealthy and influential men have escaped accountability for far too long. Now, ex- Prince Andrew has the opportunity to come clean and secure redress for the affected individuals. The committee will not cease fighting for answerability and transparency for survivors of Epstein and his network of partners.”

Another signatory, a Virginia Democrat, said that after receiving accounts to the committee from Epstein’s accusers, as well as news accounts of leaked documents, “it is vital that Andrew works together with the current probe. If he is innocent, then he can clear his name.”

The lawmaker stated further: “And if not, our examination will demonstrate that, and the victims will receive belated accountability. The monarchy’s actions taking away Andrew of his honors show there is more to this case.”

The letter was sent on the same day the British king officially revoked Mountbatten Windsor of his HRH style. Charles III officially made the change – which had been declared a week ago – by issuing a “letters patent” which the royal office published in the Gazette, the UK’s public registry.