LONDON (AP) — Pressure is mounting on the former Prince Andrew to testify to a U.S. Congress committee investigating convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after Britain's prime minister invited him to testify.
Keir Starmer declined to comment directly on the situation involving King Charles III's disgraced younger brother, but told reporters traveling with him to the G20 summit in Johannesburg that as a “general principle” people should provide evidence to investigators.
“I'm not commenting on his specific case,” Starmer said. “But the general principle that I have held for a very long time is that anyone who has relevant information on these types of cases should provide that evidence to those who need it.”
The former prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has so far ignored a request from members of the House Oversight Committee to give him a “recorded interview” about his “long-standing friendship” with Epstein. Andrew was stripped of his royal titles and honors last month as the royal family tried to shield itself from criticism over his relationship with Epstein.
Starmer's comments came after Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the committee's ranking Democrat, and Rep. Suhas Subrahmanyam, a Virginia Democrat, said Andrew “continues to hide” from serious questions.
“Our work will move forward with or without him, and we will hold accountable everyone who was involved in these crimes, regardless of their wealth, status or political party,” it said in a statement released Friday. “We will get justice for the survivors.”
