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Members of a US congressional committee have renewed calls for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor to answer questions about his links to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the BBC has reported.
King Charles removed Andrew’s “prince” title on Thursday after months of public pressure. Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing.
“He should come forward,” says US lawmaker
Democratic congressman Suhas Subramanyam told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Andrew should “come forward” if he wants to clear his name.
“If he wants to do right by the victims, he will come forward,” he said, adding that Andrew could testify privately, appear remotely, and have a lawyer present.
“Frankly, Andrew’s name has come up many times from the victims,” he said. “So he clearly has knowledge of what happened and we just want him to tell us what he knows.”
Fellow committee member Raja Krishnamoorthi told BBC Newsnight he would be willing to issue a subpoena, though he admitted it would be hard to enforce while Andrew remained outside the United States.
Calls for Andrew to “come clean”
Congressman Stephen Lynch told the BBC that hearing from Andrew “might be helpful in getting justice for these survivors” but said the committee could not compel him to appear.
Krishnamoorthi said: “Come clean. Come before the US Congress, voluntarily testify. Don’t wait for a subpoena.”
Epstein accuser Liz Stein told BBC Breakfast that Andrew should “take some initiative” and help investigators. “If he has nothing to hide, then why is he hiding?” she asked.
Another accuser, Anouska De Georgiou, told Newsnight that Andrew should be treated like anyone else.
UK watchdog contacts police amid reports
The BBC also reported that the Independent Office for Police Conduct had approached the Metropolitan Police to ask whether there were any issues to investigate after media reports about Andrew’s alleged use of police contacts in 2011.
Newly released US court documents show that Andrew emailed Epstein in 2010, writing it would be “good to catch up in person” after Epstein’s release from prison. They were later photographed together in New York’s Central Park a meeting Andrew told the BBC was to end their friendship.
The Palace said in a statement that “these censures are deemed necessary,” adding that the King and Queen’s “thoughts and utmost sympathies” were with the victims of abuse.
Andrew has since been ordered to leave his Windsor home, Royal Lodge, and is expected to move to a property on the King’s Norfolk estate in the coming months.
