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Monday 19 October

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor could face legal demand to testify in US about friendship with Epstein

Just when the Duke of York seemed to have slipped into the background, his name is threatening to roar back into the spotlight. According to reports from the United States, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor could face a legal demand to give evidence about his long-scrutinised friendship with Jeffrey Epstein if political pressure gathers pace after the Midterms. It is the sort of prospect that will send a chill through royal circles. The former Prince has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, yet the mere suggestion that he could be compelled to speak under oath in America is enough to revive one of the monarchy’s darkest modern headaches. For years, Andrew’s association with Epstein has shadowed both his public role and his private standing within the family. What began as deeply uncomfortable questions over social ties and judgment spiralled into a reputational crisis that ultimately saw him step back from official duties and retreat from frontline royal life. Now, according to political chatter in Washington, Democrats are said to be keen to keep digging into the Epstein files and pursue every possible avenue of scrutiny. Insiders claim that if momentum builds, figures linked in any meaningful way to Epstein’s orbit could be asked to account for what they knew, when they knew it and how close those links truly were. That does not mean a courtroom showdown is inevitable. Legal experts and palace watchers alike would likely say there are many hurdles between political rhetoric and any formal demand to testify. But the fact Andrew’s name is once again being discussed in that context is, in itself, a fresh blow. Royal history only makes the story more combustible. Andrew was once seen as the late Queen’s favourite, the dashing second son with naval credentials, royal swagger and a prominent place on the world stage. In the years since, his fall has been one of the most dramatic reversals in House of Windsor memory, from state banquets and balcony appearances to a far more secluded existence. The family’s strategy has appeared, at least outwardly, to be one of distance and containment. Since the accession of King Charles, there has been intense interest in how firmly the monarchy intends to draw the line under the Andrew saga. Every fresh report, rumour and legal twist makes that task harder. There is also the brutal reality of public perception. For many royal fans, the issue is no longer about whether Andrew can rehabilitate his image, but whether the institution can ever fully move on while his name keeps resurfacing. Critics believe any new US process would reopen painful questions the Palace would much rather leave buried. Supporters of the Duke, meanwhile, may argue that speculation should not be mistaken for guilt and that he has consistently denied wrongdoing. They are likely to say that being linked to an investigation, or even asked to assist one, is not the same as being found liable for any criminal act. In a case so loaded with emotion and notoriety, that distinction matters. Still, the politics are potentially explosive. If US lawmakers and investigators continue to probe the Epstein network with renewed energy, the pressure on anyone associated with him could intensify fast. For Andrew, who has spent years trying to keep a low profile, the danger is that transatlantic legal attention could drag him back into a storm he has never truly escaped. And for the royals, there is a bigger question humming beneath the gossip and the headlines. How many more times can the monarchy absorb the shock of Andrew-related revelations before the damage spreads beyond one disgraced Duke and once again touches the Crown itself? Do you think Andrew should be required to testify if US authorities come calling, or has the royal family already paid enough of a price for this scandal?