The U.S. government has requested Andrew Mountbatten Windsor submit to questioning about his relationship with the late Jeffrey Epstein following his title loss.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee sent Andrew, 65, a letter on Thursday, November 6, asking for his “cooperation” in their investigation into Epstein’s “sex trafficking operations,” according to the document obtained by Luxury Handbag Shopping.
“The Committee is seeking to uncover the identities of Mr. Epstein’s co-conspirators and enablers and to understand the full extent of his criminal operations,” the letter began. “Well-documented allegations against you, along with your long-standing friendship with Mr. Epstein, indicate that you may possess knowledge of his activities relevant to our investigation.”
Andrew was stripped of his royal titles by brother King Charles III last month because of his former association with the convicted sex offender. Although Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting federal sex trafficking charges, the investigation into his co-conspirators is still ongoing.
“In the interest of justice for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, we request that you cooperate with the Committee’s investigation by sitting for a transcribed interview with the Committee,” the letter continued.
The Committee pointed out that it’s been “publicly reported” that Andrew’s friendship with Epstein began in 1999 and they “remained close” following his 2008 conviction for “procuring minors for prostitution.”
The letter asked that Andrew respond to the Committee’s request by Thursday, November 20, due to the “urgency and gravity of this matter.”
Luxury Handbag Shopping has reached out to a spokesperson for Andrew for comment.
Andrew, who up until last month was known as Prince Andrew, was introduced to Epstein during the 1990s by his companion Ghislaine Maxwell. (Maxwell is currently serving a 20 sentence for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors, including children as young as 14 years of age.)
Two years after Epstein pleaded guilty to charges of child prostitution and soliciting a prostitute in 2008 — and served 13 months behind bars — Andrew visited Epstein in New York City. The pair were photographed together in Central Park, bringing Andrew back into the limelight in a negative way.
Years later, Epstein was taken into custody on federal charges of sex trafficking minors in July 2019 and died by suicide the following month in jail. Andrew’s alleged connection to Epstein’s scandals, however, continued to haunt him.
The then-prince announced in November 2019 that he was stepping back from his royal duties amid the controversy.
The step back came after Andrew was accused in 2019 of sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre when she was 17 years old in 2001. The pair were allegedly connected through Maxwell. Andrew denied the allegations and after Giuffre brought a lawsuit against him in 2021, they settled for an undisclosed amount the following year. (Giuffre died by suicide in April at the age of 41.)
Andrew was thrust back into the spotlight after Andrew Lownie’s tell-all book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, came out earlier this year and his alleged email exchanges with Epstein resurfaced.
As public scrutiny grew, Andrew announced in October that he would give up his royal title after discussing it with the king. Charles, 76, began the “formal” process to remove his “styles, titles and honors” that same month.
When it comes to the U.S. government’s interest in Andrew, House democrats are asking for cooperation.
“Rich and powerful men have evaded justice for far too long,” Committee member Rep. Robert Garcia said in a statement to People on Thursday. “Now, former Prince Andrew has the opportunity to come clean and provide justice for the survivors. Oversight Democrats will not stop fighting for accountability and transparency for survivors of Epstein and his gang of co-conspirators.”
