Andrew Accused Of ‘Hiding’ After Missing His Deadline To Speak About Epstein To Congress
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's silence past the congressional deadline deepens concerns over his role in the Epstein investigation.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has chosen silence as his strategy as pressure builds over his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein. On November 6, members of the House Oversight Committee sent a formal letter to the former Prince asking him to participate in a transcribed interview and share any information he may have about the disgraced financier's criminal operations. The request, led by Representatives Robert Garcia and Suhas Subramanyam, came with a firm deadline of November 20 for Mountbatten-Windsor to respond. But despite the urgency of the matter, the deadline has passed without a word from the 65-year-old.
Representative Subramanyam, who was one of the 13 members of Congress who signed the request, was blunt in his assessment. As reported by The Times, he said that the former Duke “has been hiding from us, and I think he will continue to try to hide from people doing meaningful investigations of this matter.” He also added that although Mountbatten-Windsor may not cooperate, he still hoped others "close to him" might come forward with relevant information. Moreover, given that the former Prince is a foreign national, the House cannot force him through a subpoena. Republican lawmakers refused to sign the letter put forward by the Democrats, further limiting the pressure that Congress can apply.
Despite Mountbatten-Windsor’s silence, the oversight committee has said that it intends to continue examining allegations that involve him. In October, King Charles formally started the process to strip his younger brother of his remaining titles, following the release of his accuser, Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, Nobody’s Girl. Though Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing, for the committee members, this move suggested that there was more to be uncovered. Subramanyam had argued, "If he is innocent, then he can clear his name. And if not, our investigation will show that, and the victims will receive long-overdue justice. The royal family's actions stripping Andrew of his titles show there is more to this story.”
Reports now also claim that he is even considering leaving the country. New emails between Mountbatten-Windsor and Epstein confirmed that the infamous photo of the disgraced royal and Giuffre was, in fact, genuine, despite his past denials that he had no recollection of ever even meeting her. Following this, royal expert Andrew Lownie, who has written extensively about the disgraced royal, told The Mirror that the 65-year-old poses a significant ‘flight risk.’
He also warned that Mountbatten-Windsor could attempt to “avoid any possible legal charges by going to the Middle East like King Juan Carlos.” The idea of Abu Dhabi as a retreat is not without precedent, as the former Prince has travelled there several times over the years.
It's still unclear whether a new date will be issued or what additional steps the US lawmakers plan to take next. What is clear, however, is that more trouble is likely on Mountbatten-Windsor’s way. President Donald Trump has recently signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which opens the door for unclassified Epstein files to be released publicly. As the BBC notes, the legislation will compel the Justice Department to hand over all Epstein case files within a 30-day window. With this, it is clear that the former Prince may face yet another wave of scrutiny.
