The Duke of York, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, is facing significant criticism from American politicians after failing to respond to a formal request for an interview regarding the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation.
Congressional Deadline Ignored
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform had directly asked the former prince to cooperate with its ongoing investigation into Epstein's criminal operations. In a letter sent to Andrew, the committee stated: "Allegations against you, along with your long-standing friendship with Mr Epstein, indicate that you may possess knowledge of his activities."
He was given a deadline of 20 November to respond to this request. However, two committee members - Ranking member Robert Garcia and Congressman Suhas Subramanyam - have confirmed that the 65-year-old has not complied.
In a strongly worded statement, the politicians remarked that Andrew's silence "speaks volumes". They warned: "The documents we've reviewed, along with public records and Virginia Roberts Giuffre's testimony, raise serious questions he must answer, yet he continues to hide."
Legal Position and Past Allegations
As royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills noted earlier this week, Andrew faces no legal obligation to speak with Congress. His only substantial public commentary on the allegations remains his widely criticised 2019 Newsnight interview.
The situation has been further complicated by recent developments involving Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide in April. Her posthumous memoir, released last month, detailed alleged sexual encounters with Andrew when she was a teenager.
In her book Nobody's Girl, Ms Giuffre wrote: "In my years with them, they lent me out to scores of wealthy, powerful people. I was habitually used and humiliated - and in some instances, choked, beaten, and bloodied."
Andrew has consistently and vigorously denied all accusations against him. Earlier this month, he was formally stripped of his titles as prince and Duke of York.
Broader Investigation and Consequences
The congressmen emphasised that their investigation would continue regardless of Andrew's cooperation. They stated: "Our work will move forward with or without him, and we will hold anyone who was involved in these crimes accountable, no matter their wealth, status, or political party. We will get justice for the survivors."
Recent weeks have seen Congress vote to force the US justice department to release all files related to Epstein. A bill has been signed that will require these documents - including emails, photos and other materials - to be made public within 30 days.
Already released documents have contained references to multiple high-profile figures, including Donald Trump, former UK ambassador Lord Mandelson, and Prince Andrew. All three have denied any wrongdoing while expressing regret about their associations with Epstein.
