A US congressional committee has ramped up calls for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor to answer questions over his links to Jeffrey Epstein as part of its investigation into the disgraced financier.
The mounting pressure on Mountbatten Windsor comes after he was stripped of his “prince” title and forced to leave Royal Lodge, his 30-room Windsor mansion, along with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
This comes as new court documents show Andrew told Jeffrey Epstein it would be “good to catch up in person” months after the convicted paedophile was released from prison.
Here, The i Paper takes a closer look at three key unanswered questions around the former Duke of York’s future.
Could he be forced to testify in the US?
At least four Democrat members of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which leads investigations on behalf of the House of Representatives, have renewed their calls for Mountbatten Windsor to provide evidence into Epstein’s crimes.
Committee member Raja Krishnamoorthi told BBC Newsnight he would be willing to formally summon Andrew using a subpoena, which would oblige the former prince to provide evidence or produce documents through a court order.
But Krishnamoorthi conceded this would be difficult to enforce while he was outside of the US.
The congressman said if “Andrew wishes to come to the United States or he’s here, then he’s subject to the jurisdiction of the US Congress, and I would expect him to testify.”
He added: “At the end of the day, we want to know exactly what happened, not just to give justice to the survivors, but to prevent this from ever happening again.”
“Come clean. Come before the US Congress, voluntarily testify. Don’t wait for a subpoena. Come and testify and tell us what you know.”
Oversight and Government Reform Committee is controlled by Republicans. As a members of the Democrat minority, Krishnamoorthi does not have the power to subpoena Mountbatten Windsor’s testimony, and Republicans have not indicated their support for the move so far.
Democrat congressman Stephen Lynch also told the broadcaster hearing from Andrew “might be helpful in getting justice for these survivors”, but acknowledged the committee would be unable to subpoena him “as the situation stands”.
Could UK police renew investigations into Mountbatten Windsor?
There have been renewed calls on the Metropolitan Police to reopen its investigation into allegations the King’s brother sexually abused Virginia Giuffre after she was trafficked by Epstein – accusations Andrew has strenuously denied.
The Metropolitan Police has said “other jurisdictions and organizations” were better placed to pursue the specific allegations in 2016, when it decided it would not conduct a full criminal investigation.
But Nazir Afzal, previously chief prosecutor for North West England, said a fresh investigation was required after Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his royal titles and announced his departure from Royal Lodge.
“At that time, a statement hadn’t been taken from Virginia Giuffre and then in 2021, a further review took place based on findings from the civil case and also from the Ghislaine Maxwell prosecution in the US, and again the matter wasn’t investigated,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“So this matter hasn’t been investigated, never mind taken any further,” he added.
Afzal added that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) could launch its own investigation if the Met did not.
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“The IOPC have a proactive power to investigate – they have had the power since 2020 to carry out their own investigations and there is no reason why they shouldn’t,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Met Police said: “Our thoughts are with Ms Giuffre’s family and friends following her death.”
The spokesperson added that in 2015 the force was “made aware of allegations around non-recent trafficking for sexual exploitation. This related to events outside the UK and an allegation of trafficking to central London in March 2001.
“Officers assessed the available evidence, interviewed the complainant, liaised with other law enforcement agencies who led investigations into these matters and obtained early investigative advice from the Crown Prosecution Service.
“Following the legal advice, it was clear that any investigation into human trafficking would be largely focused on activities and relationships outside the UK.
“Officers therefore concluded that other jurisdictions and organisations were better placed to pursue the specific allegations and, in November 2016, a decision was made that this matter would not proceed to a full criminal investigation. That decision was subsequently reviewed.”
In January, the Met Police said it would assess any “new and relevant information” brought to its attention about allegations against the former prince.
The force also said it was “actively” looking into media reports that Mountbatten Windsor tried to obtain personal information about Ms Giuffre through his police protection.
Ms Giuffre’s family has also called for Andrew to be “investigated” over her claims that – as a teenager – she had sex with Andrew on three occasions after being trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell.
Mountbatten Windsor has always denied the claims. Ms Giuffre sued in 2021 and the case was settled outside of court for a sum believed to have been around £12m.
Could Fergie move abroad?
Ferguson, 66, moved into Royal Lodge with Princesses Eugenie, 35, and Beatrice, 37, in 2004.
But the former Duchess of York, who was divorced from Mountbatten Windsor in 1996, is not expected to join him at the Sandringham estate.
Palace insiders have claimed that Ferguson could be moving into Adelaide Cottage, from which William and Kate are due to leave next month, while others have claimed she may even go abroad.
Earlier this week, The Sun cited one insider as saying: “Incredibly Sarah has said she wants Adelaide Cottage.”
Meanwhile, a palace insider told The Daily Mail the former Duchess of York, who has also come under increased scrutiny over her links to Epstein, has plans to leave the country.
“She’s always rather lived on the hoof and aside from her children and grandchildren, there’s not a lot to keep her here,” the source said. “Put it this way, the invitations have dried up overnight.”
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