In the most recent development coming from the disgraced former royal, Prince Andrew is reportedly stonewalling federal agents attempting to investigate his connections to Jeffrey Epstein, despite previously making contradictory statements suggesting he’s willing to do whatever it takes to help them.
On Monday, United States attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said during a news conference delivered outside of Epstein’s Upper East Side mansion that the embattled royal has offered “zero cooperation” to the federal prosecutors and F.B.I. agents seeking to discuss his ties to the convicted sex offender.
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"It's fair for people to know whether Prince Andrew has followed through with that public commitment," Berman said during the news conference of the royal’s previously stated commitment to aid investigators.
In late 2019, Prince Andrew gave a bumbling interview to the BBC in which he said he had “no recollection” of meeting Virginia Roberts Giuffre after she accused Epstein of trafficking her to the royal when she was 17 years old. This came after the fact that the two were once photographed together in 2001.
When asked during the same interview if he regretted his continued friendship with Epstein, even after the late financier pled guilty to prostitution charges and served time in a Florida county jail, Prince Andrew responded: “Do I regret the fact that he has quite obviously conducted himself in a manner unbecoming? Yes.” “Unbecoming?” the BBC interviewer responded. “He was a sex offender.”
In the aftermath of the interview, Prince Andrew issued a statement to say that he would “of course… [be] willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.” He also volunteered to publicly step back from his duties as a royal, saying that Queen Elizabeth II had approved his request.
"It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family's work and the valuable work going on in the many organizations and charities that I am proud to support," Prince Andrew said at the time.
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After being charged with sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors for sex by prosecutors with the Southern District of New York on July 8, 2019, Epstein was ordered to be held without bail in New York’s Metropolitan Correctional Center. where he was found dead in his cell of an apparent suicide on August 10. Although the charges pending against Epstein were tossed out by a judge upon his death, at least six cases have been filed against his estate since his death by women who claim to have been assaulted by Epstein as minors.
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