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UK prime minister Keir Starmer has hinted that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor may need to provide any “relevant information” he has to a US Congress investigation looking into the network of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, The Times reported.While speaking to reporters on his way to the G20 summit in Johannesburg, Starmer said that, in general, anyone who has knowledge about cases involving sexual offences should share that information with the authorities who are investigating.
“A general principle I’ve held for a very long time is that anybody who has got relevant information in relation to these kinds of cases should give that evidence to those that need it. “That would be my general position on this.” Starmer said.According to The Times, he made clear he would not comment directly on Andrew’s case but noted that the decision ultimately rests with him. When pressed again, Starmer reiterated his longstanding position that anyone with relevant details “should be prepared to share it”.Starmer’s remarks followed Andrew’s failure to respond to the committee’s interview request, which drew sharp criticism from two of its members, mounting frustration within the US House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which is conducting its own inquiry into Epstein’s associates. According to The Times, Democratic members recently wrote to him requesting a transcribed interview regarding his long-standing association with Epstein.A separate letter from committee Democrats, reported by The Times, said Andrew’s “close relationship” with Epstein — combined with a recently revealed 2011 email in which Andrew wrote, “we are in this together” — suggested he may hold information valuable to their investigation. The panel cannot compel him to appear, as US lawmakers do not have jurisdiction over foreign nationals.According to The Guardian, Andrew has also not responded to a formal approach from the committee seeking cooperation, prompting members to say they would continue the probe “with or without his involvement”. The paper noted that newly released Epstein documents, totalling nearly 23,000 pages, reference Andrew dozens of times. One email cited in the release appears to confirm the authenticity of the photograph showing Andrew with Virginia Giuffre, an image he previously cast doubt on.Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles last month after renewed scrutiny over allegations made by Giuffre — which he denies — has faced increasing public and political pressure to address questions about his past links with Epstein. According to The Independent, US lawmakers Robert Garcia and Suhas Subramanyam have publicly criticised his “silence”, saying survivors “deserve justice”.
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