Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor “should be prepared” to testify before the US Congress about his links to Jeffrey Epstein, after he featured in the latest disclosure of files related to the disgraced paedophile financier, British prime minister Keir Starmer has suggested.
A “victim-centred” approach to dealing with Epstein is the reason Mountbatten-Windsor should share information in “whatever form” he is asked, Starmer said.
Pictures that appear to show Mountbatten-Windsor crouched over an unidentified woman are featured in the latest disclosure of files linked to Epstein.
The images are among more than three million documents published by the US department of justice on Friday, including images of a man who appears to be Mountbatten-Windsor kneeling on the floor next to a woman lying down.
READ MORE
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his titles last year amid the fallout from his friendship with Epstein.
As he arrived in Japan for the final leg of his visit to East Asia, Starmer was asked if Mountbatten-Windsor should apologise and testify to the congressional Epstein investigation.
“Firstly I always approach this question with the victims of Epstein’s in mind. Epstein’s victims have to be the first priority. Whether there should be an apology, that’s a matter for Andrew,” he said.
“But, yes, in terms of testifying, I’ve always said anybody who’s got information should be prepared to share that information in whatever form they’re asked to do that because you can’t be victim-centred if you’re not prepared to do that.”
The latest pictures, released in a document of 100 pages of photographs, also appear to show the former duke touching the woman’s abdomen. Another unidentified person’s feet are up on a table in the background.
They have no captions and it is not known where they were taken.
Elsewhere in the document dump, screenshots and scans appear to show the former prince exchanged emails with Epstein about a “beautiful” Russian woman, and invited him to Buckingham Palace.
Peter Mandelson, the former ambassador to the US, also features in the release of files. He was sacked as the chief envoy to Washington DC after revelations of his continued contact with Epstein following his guilty plea in 2008 to soliciting prostitution and soliciting a minor.
Mandelson has offered an unequivocal apology to Epstein’s victims.
The documents showed exchanges between Epstein and Reinaldo Avila da Silva, Mandelson’s husband, about paying a fee for him to attend the British School of Osteopathy. One email referred to a £10,000 transfer from Epstein.
Starmer was asked if the payment, apparently made while Mandelson was serving as business secretary, fell below the standards of a peer of the realm.
He said: “In relation to Peter Mandelson, obviously he was removed as ambassador in relation to the further information that came to light in September of last year and I’ve nothing more to say in relation to Peter Mandelson.”
Emails released as part of the files also appear to show that Epstein wanted Sarah Ferguson, Mountbatten-Windsor’s ex-wife, to release a statement saying the financier was “not a pedo” and she had been “duped” into believing false allegations about him.
A series of email exchanges in the files involve Epstein and someone referred to just as “Sarah”, whose email address is redacted, as well as discussions with others about “Fergie”.
In one exchange from August 2009, “Sarah” thanked Epstein for “being the brother I have always wished for” and said she had “never been more touched by a friend’s kindness”. – PA/Guardian
