British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called on former Prince Andrew to testify before a U.S. congressional committee following newly released documents revealing ongoing links between the ex-royal and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The U.S. Justice Department on Friday published files showing that Prince Andrew, King Charles’s brother, maintained regular contact with Epstein for more than two years after Epstein’s conviction for child sex crimes in 2008. Some of the documents include emails discussing potential business dealings and social meetings, and images allegedly showing Andrew inappropriately interacting with a woman whose face was redacted.
Andrew, 65, who now uses the surname Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has denied wrongdoing and previously stated he had ended contact with Epstein after a 2010 visit to New York. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the latest revelations, and Andrew did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Starmer, speaking from a plane in Japan after a four-day visit to China, emphasized the importance of accountability for the victims of Epstein’s crimes. “Anybody who has got information should be prepared to share that information in whatever form they are asked to do that,” Starmer said. “You can’t be victim centred if you’re not prepared to do that.”
The call comes as members of a U.S. congressional committee investigating Epstein’s sex trafficking network have intensified efforts to secure testimony from Andrew. Epstein, who died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, had previously served an 18-month sentence for soliciting sex from a minor in 2008.
The newly released files suggest that Andrew remained in contact with Epstein after his conviction, including discussions about women that Epstein proposed to introduce to the former prince, and even social engagements potentially within royal residences.
Starmer’s statement underscores growing international pressure on Andrew to cooperate with the investigation and provide clarity on his relationship with Epstein, with the aim of supporting victims and ensuring accountability.
