US lawmakers have issued a scathing statement after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor missed a deadline to give evidence on his friendship with paedophile financer Jeffrey Epstein
The former Prince Andrew has been slammed by US lawmakers for his ‘silence’ as their probe into the late billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein ramps up.
Andrew, now stripped of his royal titles and honours and just weeks away from vacating his 30-room mansion Royal Lodge, was called upon by US politicians to testify about his “longstanding” friendship with Epstein. Epstein took his own life in prison while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges in 2019. Andrew has repeatedly and vehemently denied all accusations against him.
Members of the House Oversight Committee – which is the the main investigative committee in the House of Representatives – had requested a “transcribed interview” from Andrew as it investigates Epstein and the handling of the case by the US government. . A letter signed by 16 congress members was sent earlier this month, with a requested deadline for a response of November 20.
But after saying they had not heard from the former duke, Democrats Ranking Member Robert Garcia and Congressman Suhas Subramanyam issued a scathing statement which read: “Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s silence in the face of the Oversight Democrat’s demand for testimony speaks volumes.
“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. 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.”
The committee does not have the authority to force non-US citizens or force foreign nationals outside of the US to testify, so Andrew did not legally have to respond.
Just days after King Charles stripped Andrew of all of his royal titles, Virginia Guiffre’s posthumous memoir was released. The book painted a harrowing picture of Guiffre’s suffering at the hands of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Guiffre, who died by suicide earlier this year, accused Andrew of sexually assaulting her on three occasions when she was a teenager, allegations which he strongly denies.
It comes as Donald Trump, who has also faced fire for his relationship with the convicted paedophile, finally signed legislation allowing the Epstein files to be released. This happened after months of apparently obstructing the release of Department of Justice documents. The president finally agreed after a 427-1 House vote and the Senate unanimously endorsing the measure, shortly after Trump yielded to the mounting pressure to have it released.
When Andrew relinquished his titles, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson followed suit. The former duchess still lives with Andrew in Royal Lodge, the home the ex couple have shared together for decades. But when the New Year rolls round, Andrew is set to move to a property on the King’s sprawling Sandringham estate. Fergie has been told to find her own arrangeents. It’s unclear where she’ll live next, but it is understood that she won’t move back in with her disgraced ex-husband.
Royal expert Hilary Fordwich said of Sarah’s current state: “She’s described as ‘massively on edge’ and ‘panicking’ about her own future. While Sarah and Andrew are currently both still residing in Windsor, they are reportedly sleeping at different ends of the sprawling Royal Lodge. They do get together to discuss their respective uncertain futures.
“While their relationship had long been described as unusually close for divorced exes — cohabiting and supporting one another through public crises as a result of her association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Sarah has been disowned by every charity she supported, and faces an ongoing wave of public outrage.
