Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should be prepared to testify before the US Congress about his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, arguing that any investigation must put victims first.
Speaking to reporters, Starmer said that anyone with relevant information about Epstein’s activities should be willing to share it with investigators. “In terms of testifying, I have always said anybody who has got information should be prepared to share that information,” he said. “You can’t be victim-centred if you’re not prepared to do that. Epstein’s victims have to be the first priority.”
The prime minister’s comments follow the release of millions of pages of US Department of Justice documents related to Epstein, including photographs that appear to show Mountbatten-Windsor kneeling over a woman lying on the floor inside what looks like Epstein’s New York City mansion. The images have renewed scrutiny of the former prince’s relationship with the disgraced financier and intensified calls for him to cooperate with US investigators.
The photographs, which were released on Friday as part of a court-mandated disclosure, show Mountbatten-Windsor kneeling beside an unidentified, fully clothed woman. In two of the images, he appears to be touching her stomach, while another shows him staring directly into the camera. No context is provided in the documents about the circumstances in which the photographs were taken, and there is no allegation attached to them.
Independent analysis has suggested that the decor visible in the images matches known photographs of the interior of Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse, a property that has been central to multiple investigations into his social circle and activities. The woman in the images has not been identified, and there is no indication of her age or the nature of her relationship to Epstein or Mountbatten-Windsor.
Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. Through previous statements, he has said he did not “see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to [Epstein’s] arrest and conviction.” He has not commented publicly on the newly released images.
Democratic lawmakers in the US Congress formally invited Mountbatten-Windsor to answer questions as part of their Epstein investigation in November. At the time, Starmer said the request was a matter for Mountbatten-Windsor to consider “personally,” stopping short of urging him to cooperate. His latest remarks mark a clearer public stance, emphasising the importance of victim-centred accountability.
The latest document dump comes six weeks after a deadline set out in legislation signed by US President Donald Trump, requiring the Department of Justice to release material related to Epstein’s case. In total, more than three million pages of documents were made public, including emails, photographs, travel records and internal communications that shed further light on Epstein’s network of contacts.
Among the newly released materials are email exchanges between Epstein and an individual identified as “The Duke,” widely understood to refer to Mountbatten-Windsor. In one exchange from August 2010, Epstein appears to invite Mountbatten-Windsor to dinner with a 26-year-old woman who would be visiting London.
In the emails, “The Duke” replies that he would be in Geneva “until the morning of the 22nd but would be delighted to see her,” before asking: “Will she be bringing a message from you? Please give her my contact details to get in touch.” He also asks Epstein whether there is “any other information you might know about her that might be useful to know?”
Epstein responds by describing the woman as “26, russian, clevere [sic] beautiful, trustworthy and yes she has your email.” The correspondence does not suggest illegal activity, and there is no indication that any meeting took place. However, the timing of the messages has drawn renewed attention, as they were exchanged two years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor.
In 2008, Epstein reached a controversial plea deal with US prosecutors, receiving an 18-month sentence in Florida after pleading guilty to charges related to the solicitation of a minor for prostitution. Under the terms of the agreement, he was allowed to leave jail for up to 12 hours a day, six days a week, to work at his office. He was released on probation after serving 13 months, a deal that later became the subject of intense criticism and legal challenges by victims.
Epstein was arrested again in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges but died in jail while awaiting trial, in what authorities ruled a suicide. His death sparked widespread speculation and conspiracy theories, as well as renewed scrutiny of the powerful figures who had associated with him over decades.
Mountbatten-Windsor’s friendship with Epstein has been under public scrutiny for years, particularly after allegations by Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with the then-prince when she was 17. Mountbatten-Windsor has categorically denied Giuffre’s claims. In 2022, he reached a financial settlement with Giuffre, which included no admission of liability.
As scrutiny intensified, Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his honorary military roles and royal patronages and ceased using the style “His Royal Highness.” In October, amid renewed controversy linked to the Epstein document releases, he was formally stripped of his remaining royal titles, further distancing him from the British monarchy.
Buckingham Palace has previously said that the matter of Epstein is one of personal conduct and does not involve the Royal Family institutionally. The palace has declined to comment on the latest document release.
Starmer’s comments reflect a broader shift in tone from the UK government, which has historically been cautious about commenting on matters involving senior members of the Royal Family, particularly where legal proceedings are ongoing or involve foreign jurisdictions. By framing the issue around victims’ rights and transparency, the prime minister aligned his remarks with calls from campaigners who argue that accountability should not stop at national or social boundaries.
Legal experts note that compelling a British citizen, particularly a former royal, to testify before the US Congress would be complex and largely dependent on voluntary cooperation. While Congress can issue subpoenas, enforcing them against foreign nationals outside the United States presents significant legal hurdles.
Nonetheless, campaigners for Epstein’s victims say public pressure remains a powerful tool. “Every piece of information matters,” said one victims’ advocate in the US, who welcomed Starmer’s remarks. “Those who were part of Epstein’s circle, knowingly or not, have a moral responsibility to help establish the truth.”
The Department of Justice has said that the release of the documents is part of an ongoing effort to bring transparency to Epstein-related investigations, while stressing that inclusion in the files does not imply guilt or wrongdoing. Many of the names mentioned in the materials belong to individuals who were never charged with any crime.
For Mountbatten-Windsor, the latest disclosures are likely to reignite debate over his past decisions and associations, even as he continues to deny any criminal behaviour. Whether he chooses to respond to the renewed calls from US lawmakers and the British prime minister remains to be seen.
What is clear, however, is that Epstein’s shadow continues to loom large, years after his death, with fresh revelations ensuring that the focus remains not only on his crimes, but also on the powerful figures who moved within his orbit — and on the victims who are still seeking answers and accountability.
