Most Britons say Andrew should give evidence to US Congress over Epstein – poll

Three quarters of Britons believe Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should have to give evidence to the US Congress about his links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, a new poll has suggested.

American legislators criticised the King’s brother for “hiding” from them after the former prince ignored a request to sit for a transcribed interview.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer suggested at the weekend that “if you have relevant information you should be prepared to share it” after Andrew missed the November 20 response deadline given by members of the House Oversight Committee.

The YouGov findings revealed 75% of people questioned said Andrew should have to testify while 9% said he should not and 16% did not know.

In the 25-49 age group, some 78% believed he should give evidence, compared with 69% of over-65s.

Of the 4,516 adults questioned, people over 65 were more likely to say Andrew should not testify, at 16%, compared with 5% of 25 to 49- year-olds.

The King officially stripped his disgraced brother of his HRH style and his prince title, and removed his dukedom from the Roll of the Peerage over Andrew’s “serious lapses” of judgment.

The move followed the publication of posthumous memoirs by Andrew’s accuser Virginia Giuffre, and the US government’s release of documents from Epstein’s estate.

It emerged Andrew had emailed Epstein in 2011 saying “we’re in this together”, three months after he claimed he had broken all contact with the paedophile.

The former Duke of York has for many years faced allegations he sexually assaulted a teenaged Ms Giuffre after she was trafficked by Epstein. Andrew strenuously denies the accusations.

A letter signed by 16 members of Congress was sent to Andrew on November 6 requesting his co-operation with the committee’s investigation into Epstein’s sex trafficking operations.

The US politicians said their House Oversight Committee had identified “financial records containing notations such as ‘massage for Andrew’ that raise serious questions”.

Epstein took his own life in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.

Mid and East Antrim Council has meanwhile agreed to start the process of renaming Prince Andrew Way in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland.

The Country Antrim street was named after Andrew in 1986 to mark his wedding to Sarah Ferguson.

The council’s interim chief executive, Valerie Watts, cautioned there is no council policy for changing the name of the street and, while it is not straightforward, it is possible.

She said other agencies, such as Royal Mail, need to be consulted and council staff will do a full investigation into what is required, and bring a full report back to council.

Alliance Party councillor Lauren Gray, who proposed the street be renamed, suggested retaining the link to the royal family with a “fitting tribute” to the late monarch Queen Elizabeth II.