The United States Department of Justice has made a formal plea for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to be ‘compelled’ to respond to inquiries regarding his associations with child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and convicted fashion tycoon Peter Nygard.

This morning, newly unveiled documents include a striking ‘Request for Assistance’ directed at the UK Government. The request seeks to facilitate an FBI interview with the former Duke of York.

The documents allege ‘evidence that Prince Andrew engaged in sexual activities with one of Epstein’s victims’ has surfaced.

Should Andrew refuse a voluntary interview, the letter specifies, ‘US authorities ask that UK authorities carry out a compelled interview of the witness under oath.’

Dated April 3, 2020, this document is part of a larger release of records tied to the Epstein investigation by the US government earlier today.

It says Andrew – named as ‘HRH Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward, the Duke of York’ – is wanted for questioning over two criminal investigations, and highlights his association with Epstein’s girlfriend and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.

‘The investigation to date has revealed that Prince Andrew may have been a witness to and/or participant in certain events of relevance to the ongoing investigation,’ it says.

‘For example, one victim has alleged that Maxwell introduced her to Prince Andrew who, according to this victim, was present for certain of the victim’s interactions with Epstein and Maxwell.

The formal request for interview was released by the US government as part of its latest cache of documents relating to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Duke of York, has always denied wrongdoing

Additionally, documentary evidence uncovered during the course of this investigation has revealed information suggesting that Prince Andrew had knowledge that Maxwell recruited females to engage in sex acts with Epstein and other men.

‘Finally, there is evidence that Prince Andrew engaged in sexual conduct involving one of Epstein’s victims.’

The authorities were keen to point out that Andrew would be interviewed as a witness, not a suspect: ‘Prince Andrew is not presently a target of the investigation, and US authorities have not, to date, gathered evidence that he has committed any crime under US law.’

However, they warned that he could be prosecuted if he lied to investigators: ‘If he were to provide false information to authorities in connection with this mutual legal assistance request, he could be prosecuted for perverting the course of justice in the UK, and he may be prosecuted for making a false statement…in the U.S.’

The letter states that Epstein, who had by then killed himself in prison, was alleged to have ‘engaged in the sexual abuse of minor girls during the period of approximately 1994 through 2005’.

It adds: ‘Notwithstanding Epstein’s death, the investigation that led to his indictment remains ongoing.’

On the investigation into Peter Nygard, the letter states that Andrew visited the former fashion tycoon – who was jailed for 11 years last year for sexually assaulting four women – at his Bahamas resort known as ‘Nygard Cay’.

‘The investigation has revealed that, on at least one occasion, Prince Andrew travelled to Nygard Cay in the Bahamas, a location where Nygard is believed to have trafficked minor and adult female victims,’ it says.

‘US authorities seek to question Prince Andrew regarding his visit(s) to Nygard Cay during the time period under investigation, and other information he may have about Peter Nygard and related individuals.

‘Prince Andrew is not presently a target of this investigation, and US authorities have not, to date, collected evidence that he committed any crime under US law.’

The letter ends by warning UK authorities to keep the letter’s contents confidential, as leaking it may ‘seriously jeopardize the investigations…by prompting others to destroy or tamper with evidence’.

Andrew has fiercely denied any wrongdoing.