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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has indicated that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should consider testifying before the U.S. Congress regarding his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“In terms of testifying, I have always said anybody who has got information should be prepared to share that information,” he stated to reporters.
“You can’t be victim centred if you’re not prepared to do that,” he added. “Epstein’s victims have to be the first priority.”
The Prime Minister’s remarks follow the recent release of documents related to Epstein, including images purportedly showing Andrew kneeling over a female subject lying on the ground.
BBC News has reached out to Mountbatten-Windsor for comment. He has consistently denied any allegations of wrongdoing.
Congressional Democrats initially requested that Andrew answer questions as part of their investigation into Epstein in November.
At that time, Starmer noted that the invitation was a matter for Andrew to consider “personally.”
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice released over three million pages of documents related to Epstein, six weeks after a deadline mandated in a law signed by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The released documents provide no context for the photos of Mountbatten-Windsor kneeling over the unidentified woman.
In two of the images, he is seen touching the person, who is unidentified and fully clothed, on her stomach. Another image shows him staring directly at the camera.
The photographs appear to be consistent with the interior of Jeffrey Epstein’s New York City mansion. BBC Verify has corroborated that the decor seen in the photos aligns with existing imagery of the townhouse’s interior.
The images are likely to intensify scrutiny on Andrew, who has faced years of criticism regarding his past association with Epstein. BBC News has approached Mountbatten-Windsor for comment. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew and the Duke of York, was stripped of his royal titles in October following increased scrutiny over his ties to Epstein.
Separate emails released on Friday also indicate that Epstein invited Mountbatten-Windsor to dine with a 26-year-old woman, as evidenced in an email exchange between Epstein and “The Duke.”
He stated that the woman would be in London in August 2010.
“The Duke” responded that he would be in Geneva “until the morning of the 22nd but would be delighted to see her” before inquiring: “Will she be bringing a message from you? Please give her my contact details to get in touch.”
He also asked Epstein whether there was “any other information you might know about her that might be useful to know?”
Epstein replied that “she [is] 26, russian, clevere [sic] beautiful, trustworthy and yes she has your email.”
These communications transpired in August 2010, two years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor.
He received an 18-month sentence following a negotiated agreement with prosecutors, which allowed him to conduct “work release” from his office for 12 hours daily, six days a week. He was released on probation after 13 months.
Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied all allegations of impropriety related to Epstein, asserting that he did not “see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction.”
The emails contained within the latest document release do not suggest any wrongdoing. The BBC has contacted Mountbatten-Windsor for a response.
The recent file release also appears to indicate that Epstein provided financial support to Sarah Ferguson—Andrew’s former spouse and the former Duchess of York—for a period of 15 years.
In 2009, Ferguson corresponded with Epstein, providing him with details of her business ideas.
Describing a series of meetings with well-known brands following “your lunch”, she wrote: “it seems the energy has lifted.”
“Thank you Jeffrey for being the brother I have always wished for.”
That same year, she requested £20,000 ($27,384) for a rent payment, asserting she needed it “today.”
“The landlord has threatened to go to the newspapers if I don’t pay. Any brainwaves?” she asked.
Emails included in the recent release show that Epstein wanted Ferguson to release a statement saying he was “not a pedo” and that she had been “duped” into believing false allegations about him by Civil Plaintiffs Attorneys from Florida.
The exchange in 2011 between Epstein and publicist Mike Sitrick, the convicted sex offender asks him to “draft a statement in an ideal world Fergie would put out”.
“She knows what she was told was based on false hoods… She should out the newspapers on the offering of money for stories.”
Sitrick responds to Epstein’s request for the statement saying: “with pleasure.”
Ferguson has been approached for comment.
Speaking to reporters, Starmer was also asked about Epstein sending £10,000 ($13,692) to Lord Mandleson’s partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva in 2009, according to the documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday.
Lord Mandelson was appointed as the U.K.’s ambassador to the U.S. in December 2024 but was dismissed less than a year later, when it emerged he had sent supportive messages to Epstein following the conviction.
In an email to Epstein, da Silva outlines the costs of an osteopathy course, providing his bank details and thanking the financier for “anything you can help me with.”
Epstein replied a few hours later saying: “I will wire your loan amount immediately” and the following day da Silva writes: “Just a brief note to thank you for the money which arrived in my account this morning.”
When asked for a response, Lord Mandelson stated that he had been “very clear” about his relationship with Epstein in interviews with the BBC.
“I have nothing more to add,” said the Labour peer.
“I’ve nothing more to say on Peter Mandelson,” Starmer said.
More than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images are included in the latest batch. Their release comes six weeks after a deadline mandated in a law signed by President Donald Trump.
Many of the documents are heavily redacted, with some files showing pages which are entirely blacked-out.
Democratic members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee have requested immediate arrangements from the Department of Justice to view the full case files, according to the BBC’s U.S. media partner, CBS.
The formal inquiry emphasized the “urgent” need to review the documents, partly due to an upcoming public committee hearing with Attorney General Pam Bondi.
It says the panel has questions over why the justice department has only released half of the estimated pages related to Epstein.
Being named or pictured in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing. Many of those identified in other releases have denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.
The emails show Lutnick and his family planned a visit to Little Saint James, a private island Epstein purchased in 1998.
Three million new documents include hundreds of mentions of Trump and emails between Epstein and a person called “The Duke”.
The emails were published by the US Department of Justice as part of a release running to three million pages.
The convicted sex trafficker has previously said she would decline to answer questions unless she is granted immunity.
The Clintons said they already provided the committee with the “limited” information they had about Epstein.
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