Stripped of his titles, Andrew faces calls to testify to US committee over Epstein links

Labour peer Harriet Harman, former deputy party leader, said the former prince had a responsibility to testify to help bring justice to the women who were abused. “His silence is not being neutral – it’s an act of collusion,” Harman said. “We know he was at the very least part of the circle around a convicted child abuser treating young women and girls like property… He is either part of sustaining that structure [of abuse] or he is going to play a part in giving those young women justice.”

Epstein, a convicted child sexual abuse offender, was facing trial on further sex trafficking charges when he died in his prison cell in 2019. Virginia Giuffre, who ended her own life in April, said she had been trafficked around the world by Epstein and forced to have sex with the former Duke of York when she was 17 and he was 41. Mountbatten Windsor has always denied the claims.

The women who were trafficked by Epstein “have had the courage” to give evidence, Harman added. “If [Andrew] doesn’t [give evidence], it’s because he has something to hide or he doesn’t care what these young women have suffered.”

Members of the US House oversight committee, which is investigating the Epstein case, have intensified their calls for Andrew to answer questions about his links to the late sex offender.

Labour peer Margaret Hodge, who is the prime minister’s anti-corruption champion, said giving evidence to the panel was “morally the right thing to do”. She said Andrew should also “come clean” about his finances and business deals. “He needs to explain how he’s funded his lavish lifestyle down the years,” said Lady Hodge.

Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: “Given how awfully Epstein’s victims suffered, all those involved with Epstein and his parties should be in line to be called, from former princes to sitting presidents.”

Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East, said that as well as Andrew giving evidence in the US, “there must also be a criminal investigation here in the UK in relation to allegations against Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, and a full inquiry into who knew what and when, both in the royal family and in government.”

At least four Democratic members of the committee have urged Andrew to testify. Virginia congressman Suhas Subramanyam said that he could appear remotely, have a lawyer present and speak to the panel privately. “Frankly, Andrew’s name has come up many times from the victims,” said Subramanyam on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “So he clearly has knowledge of what happened and we just want him to come forward and tell us what he knows.”

Chris Bryant, the trade minister, became the first member of the government to suggest Andrew should give evidence if asked to do so. “I would expect any decently minded person to comply with that request,” he said to the BBC.

King Charles last Thursday stripped his younger brother of his “prince” title. Buckingham Palace announced that Andrew would also be leaving Royal Lodge, the 30-room property in Windsor Great Park where he has lived for 20 years. Although the palace has been keen to stress that this was the king’s decision, Queen Camilla and other senior women within the royal family are believed to have played an important part in convincing him to defenestrate his brother.

Both Camilla and Prince Edward’s wife, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, have focused much of their royal careers supporting the victims of sexual violence, trafficking and domestic abuse. According to courtiers, it was awkward for them to be publicly showing support for abused women while Andrew faced questions over his relationship with Epstein.

“The queen is passionate about that part of her work. She has never felt comfortable about this and nor has the king,” one senior royal source said.Andrew’s younger daughter, Princess Eugenie, has also led a charity campaigning against modern slavery, despite not undertaking official work on behalf of the monarch. She has consistently refused to discuss how that sits with her father’s record.

Photograph by Mark Kerrison/Alamy Live News