This is the moment a furious row erupted on the Daily Expresso podcast after host JJ Anisiobi said Andrew Mountbatten Windsor should be put “under oath” over his links to Jeffrey Epstein. It comes after King Charles stripped his younger brother of his prince and Duke of York titles on Thursday night.
Discussing the fallout with guest Belinda de Lucy on the latest episode of the podcast, JJ said: “I won’t be happy until the FBI have taken him [Andrew] kicking and screaming to court and he’s actually investigated and he’s under oath, he has to say what he knew and where he was with the paedophile Epstein.
“I think that’s what has to happen.
“Him losing his titles, he’s still rich — the guy has no money, he’s got no income — he’s still richer than I’m ever going to be… that’s not fair!
“So until he goes to America and he’s in a court and they can ask the questions, for me, this makes no difference.”
In response, Reform UK politician Ms de Lucy said: “Just putting something revolutionary out there, JJ, do you not believe in innocence until proven guilty?
“I know we’re getting very carried away with Andrew — to me he’s an entitled, pretty dodgy guy, that’s brought the Royal Family into disrepute and I really mind about that, and my god if he’s committed a crime, send him to prison, I’m absolutely fine about that.
“But he’s never been charged for a criminal offence yet, at all. It’s just a huge wave of claims and I do think we need to keep in our minds as well that until the court day is there, I do think men should be presumed innocent until found guilty.”
JJ said he “fully agrees” but went on to say: “You’re perfectly right — Andrew has not, as far as I know, committed a crime but the moral crime of being friends with a paedophile and celebrating a paedophile… that I think is enough for him to be taken in for questioning, which until this point hasn’t happened and I think it hasn’t happened because he was a royal.”
Andrew has always strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
The King decided to remove Andrew’s tiles less than 10 days after the posthumous publication of a memoir by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims.
She had accused Andrew of sexually assaulting her. Andrew strongly denies the allegations.
Pressure has been building on Andrew to give evidence before a powerful US Congressional committee about his links to Epstein.
Members of the House Oversight Committee have called for the former prince to reveal what he knew about the actions of the convicted sex trafficker.
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