Prince Andrew stands accused of trying to skirt a congressional investigation into his ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein. The House oversight committee has called for the former prince to provide a deposition as part of its investigation into how the government managed the Epstein case. This request comes on the heels of the recent release of more than 20,000 emails from Epstein’s estate. These emails document a shocking number of high profile, elite interactions with Prince Andrew.
The question became even more urgent after it was revealed that Prince Andrew had had a far more intimate relationship with Epstein than had long been admitted. His name appears frequently in the documents reviewed by the committee, raising concerns about his involvement and the nature of his ties to Epstein. The committee’s investigation takes a close look at the Epstein case. This backlash comes just after the Department of Justice announced they were closing the case, sparking even more public outrage.
Notably, despite the congressional committee’s threats, Prince Andrew still hasn’t agreed to speak with them or submit to a deposition. Suhas Subramanyam, a Democratic member of the joint oversight committee, voiced his frustration with Andrew’s disengagement.
“He has been hiding from us, and I think he will continue to try to hide from people doing meaningful investigations of this matter,” – Suhas Subramanyam
The investigation was a direct result of a surge in anger amongst legislators, especially after the concerns of Trump’s supporters were raised in July. Democrats joined with Republicans in rebellion to advance an override petition. Their main intent is to build public support for the release of U.S. government files about Epstein. Once upon a time opposed to such legislation, Trump eventually did an about-face on the idea and implored the lower chamber to pass the measure.
Prince Andrew’s unique status as a foreign national means he cannot be compelled to testify via subpoena. Still, there is mounting pressure on him not to fight tooth and nail, but rather to work with American lawmakers. UK trade minister Chris Bryant said that Prince Andrew should be required to testify. He knows this duty extends to all, the same as any average citizen.
Considering this new evidence, Subramanyam made the case that it is critical to keep pursuing Andrew’s ties.
“I think the documents have given us a lot of information over the past six months, and we’re going to continue to press on with finding evidence and let the evidence do the talking. And so far, the evidence keeps talking about Andrew,” – Suhas Subramanyam
Prince Andrew is currently embroiled in high-profile sex trafficking allegations from Virginia Giuffre. She alleges that Epstein sexually assaulted her, alleging that she was a minor trafficking victim of Epstein’s. The leash around Prince Andrew grew even shorter. This development followed King Charles’ recent decision to remove his royal title due to fears stemming from his friendship with Epstein.
The oversight committee is not giving up finding out what role Andrew played.
“Even if Andrew doesn’t voluntarily come forward, there may be others who are close to him who may come forward as well and provide us information,” – [no specific source mentioned]
As the investigation continues to develop, legislators remain firm in their desire to see justice and accountability served in the Epstein case.