Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated that Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, should testify before the US Congress regarding his connections to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Speaking during a visit to Japan, Starmer emphasised that the victims of Epstein must be the priority and that anyone with information should share it.
The call comes after the US Department of Justice released a new tranche of documents on Friday, which include photographs and emails implicating Andrew. One image appears to show him crouching over a woman lying on the floor, while emails indicate he invited Epstein to Buckingham Palace in September 2010, two years after Epstein's conviction for soliciting minors.
Last year, US Representative Suhas Subramanyam requested Andrew's deposition as part of a congressional investigation into the handling of the Epstein case. Subramanyam accused Andrew of hiding from investigators. Starmer declined to comment on whether Andrew should apologise, stating that was a matter for him.
The newly released emails suggest that in August 2010, Epstein proposed arranging dinner for Andrew with a 26-year-old Russian woman, to which Andrew responded he would be 'delighted'. Andrew also asked Epstein if it was 'good to be free' from house arrest. Later that year, they were photographed together in Central Park, New York.
In 2022, Andrew settled a civil lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she was trafficked to him by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Andrew paid an estimated £12 million without admitting liability and has consistently denied wrongdoing. The documents also reveal correspondence between Andrew and Maxwell, including a 2005 email where Andrew wrote, 'I am in your hands (literally) until Saturday/Sunday,' signing off 'Love you A xxx.'
