The woman photographed being straddled by disgraced former Prince Andrew was a sex trafficking victim, a Democratic congressman has claimed.
California Rep. Ted Lieu made the explosive allegation about King Charles’ brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, during Wednesday’s House Judiciary Committee hearing with Attorney General Pam Bondi on the Trump administration’s botched release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Lieu showed Bondi two damning photos of Andrew on top of an unidentified woman, which were released by the DOJ in a batch of Epstein files last month, during the hearing.
Lieu suggested that because the woman’s identity was protected, she must have been a victim of the late financier’s sex trafficking operation. The Epstein Transparency Act allowed the administration to redact any information from the files that could identify a sex abuse victim before making them public.
“We are looking at a sex trafficking victim,” Lieu said. “Under the federal Victims of Trafficking Protection Act, not only is Jeffrey Epstein guilty, but anyone who patronizes Epstein’s sex operation is also guilty of a crime.
“That’s why I find it absolutely despicable that you sought to protect Epstein’s clients like former Prince Andrew.”
Lieu then noted that the DOJ and FBI declared in July 2025 that no one else would be charged in connection with Epstein’s crimes—a statement that triggered monumental bipartisan backlash—meaning the agencies had effectively “closed the case” on Epstein’s alleged abusers.
“These two photos staring you in the face are evidence of a crime and more than enough evidence to predicate an investigation against former Prince Andrew,” Lieu said. “So I ask you, Attorney General Pam Bondi, why did you shut down this investigation last July, and why have you not prosecuted former Prince Andrew?”
In response, Bondi reverted to a familiar tactic she used throughout Wednesday’s hearing of avoiding the question while launching attacks, many of which were prepped in a “burn book.”
“I don’t believe you asked Merrick Garland these questions when he was attorney general,” Bondi said.
Lieu interrupted Bondi to also criticize Garland, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, saying he “dropped the ball” in investigating Epstein.
“As did Attorney General Bill Barr, as did Alex Acosta, a whole string of failures,” Lieu said. “But you are in charge. You have the power to change things, to hold these men accountable, and you’re doing the opposite. You’re protecting them.”
Andrew, who remained friends with Epstein for years after he was first exposed as a child sex offender, has denied any wrongdoing in connection with the disgraced financier.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most prominent victims, alleged she was abused by Andrew when she was 17 after being trafficked by Epstein. Andrew denied the claims but reached a legal settlement with Giuffre for an undisclosed sum in 2022.
Police and prosecutors in the U.K. have also held talks about investigating Andrew over claims he shared confidential government material with Epstein.
Andrew no longer has a media spokesperson. The Daily Beast contacted a media professional who previously worked for him, who is understood to still be in contact with the former prince.
