US lawmakers urge Andrew to testify over Epstein files

Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez, who is on House Oversight Committee, called for more transparency from Andrew.

Speaking to the BBC’s Newsnight, she urged the King to tell his brother to “answer questions here at the Oversight Committee”.

“You cannot say ‘I am protected because I’m no longer in the jurisdiction of the United States, so I cannot be held liable’,” Fernandez argued.

She also called for an inquiry in England. She said Andrew “was there, he knows who else was in the room with him. Who else was at those locations where these attacks took place?”

Sky Roberts, the brother of Virginia Giuffre, piled on the pressure earlier on Tuesday, telling journalists: “I think he [Andrew] should show up in front of our Congress and answer questions.”

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer agreed.

The latest emails released by the US Department of Justice reveal there have been multiple unsuccessful approaches from US authorities for Andrew to help with Epstein inquiries.

The former prince cannot be forced by a subpoena to go to the US, which has caused a lot of frustration.

Last autumn, Democrats in Congress set a November deadline for the former prince to testify about what he knew about Epstein, but he gave no response.

Since the release of three million more documents related to Epstein, there has been growing pressure on Andrew, with claims a second woman was sent to the UK by Jeffrey Epstein for a sexual encounter with him.

Photographs appearing to show him kneeling on all fours over a female lying on the ground, both fully dressed, were also included in the latest batch of files.

Andrew has consistently and strenuously denied any wrongdoing. Being named in the Epstein files is not an indication of misconduct.