Britain's former Prince Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has ignored a formal deadline set by United States lawmakers to provide testimony regarding his relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Congressional Demand Goes Unanswered
Sixteen Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives oversight committee signed a letter requesting Andrew participate in a transcribed interview as part of their ongoing investigation into Epstein's network. The committee had set a response deadline of November 20, which passed without any communication from the former royal.
Committee members Robert Garcia and Suhas Subramanyan issued a statement on Friday emphasizing that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's silence in the face of the Oversight Democrats' demand for testimony speaks volumes. They noted that documents reviewed by the committee, along with public records and Virginia Roberts Giuffre's testimony, raise serious questions he must answer.
Legal Limitations and Ongoing Investigation
The U.S. Congress lacks the authority to compel testimony from foreign citizens, making Andrew's voluntary cooperation unlikely from the outset. Democrats currently hold the minority position in the House, further limiting their enforcement capabilities.
Despite these challenges, committee members vowed their investigation would continue regardless of Andrew's participation. We will hold anyone who was involved in these crimes accountable, no matter their wealth, status, or political party, Garcia and Subramanyan declared. We will get justice for the survivors.
Background of the Controversy
The renewed congressional interest follows recently released committee emails and a posthumous memoir by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused Andrew of sexual assault. Giuffre alleged she was trafficked to have sex with him on three occasions, twice when she was 17 years old.
Andrew has consistently denied all allegations of sexual abuse. In 2022, he reached a multi-million-pound settlement with Giuffre without admitting any guilt, after she launched a lawsuit against him. Tragically, Giuffre died by suicide at her home in Australia this past April.
The controversy surrounding Andrew's connections to Epstein previously led to significant consequences within the British royal family. King Charles III formally stripped his younger brother of his royal titles, and Andrew now uses the name Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
