US Politicians Demand Royal Accountability in Epstein Scandal
American lawmakers have issued a direct call for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to travel to the United States and provide testimony regarding his connections to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. This development follows a significant bipartisan vote in Congress to release documents related to the Epstein case, passing by an overwhelming margin of 427 votes to 1.
British "Urgency" Praised by US Officials
King Charles has received commendation from American officials for his decisive action in stripping Andrew of his prince title and royal style. Following the congressional vote, US representatives highlighted that America could learn from the UK's swift approach to accountability.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie, speaking outside the Capitol building, emphasised the contrast between British and American responses. "There's becoming a reckoning in Britain that needs to happen in the United States," Massie stated. "A prince lost his title, the ambassador to the United States lost his job. We need to see those same kind of consequences here."
The 54-year-old politician specifically referenced the Andrew scandal and the dismissal of Peter Mandelson, Britain's ambassador to Washington, in his address following the landmark vote.
Bipartisan Support for Congressional Testimony
Democratic Representative Ro Khanna has indicated that Andrew could face a bipartisan summons to appear before the House oversight committee. Speaking alongside Massie, Khanna affirmed: "I do think that Prince Andrew does need to come and testify at our oversight committee, and that can be bipartisan. But I share [Massie's] view that the urgency that the British people have shown in getting justice needs to inspire an urgency here in America."
Despite the mounting pressure and controversy, Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding his association with Epstein. The 65-year-old's difficulties intensified recently when his name was reportedly removed from all commemorative plaques on the Falkland Islands, where he had served as a helicopter co-pilot during the conflict.
The US lawmakers suggested they would support similar actions regarding the removal of honours from those connected to serious crimes. Massie added: "As my colleague Ro [Khanna] said, there shouldn't be buildings named after these perpetrators of these heinous crimes, there shouldn't be scholarships named after them, and there needs to be accounting."
This latest chapter continues the royal family's ongoing challenges with the Epstein association, which began significantly with Andrew's disastrous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview about his relationship with the convicted sex offender. In October, King Charles removed the final remaining royal titles from the Mountbatten-Windsor family member, with Buckingham Palace announcing that Andrew would no longer use the style "His Royal Highness" and would lose all official patronages and military appointments associated with the Crown.
