British authorities seek DOJ’s help in investigations into former Prince Andrew, Peter Mandelson

British authorities are seeking the cooperation of the Justice Department as they pursue investigations arising from the Epstein files, the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police said in an interview Wednesday.

Commissioner Mark Rowley declined to opine on why the files have resulted in the arrests of two high-profile figures in the U.K. — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, and former ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson — while U.S. authorities have made no arrests or charges in the wake of the files’ release. But Rowley touted British authorities’ willingness to pursue “eminent” figures.

“I can’t speak about American policing strategies on this, because I haven’t plowed through their files,” he said. “But in the U.K., we’re proud of operating without fear or favor, and we’ll go where the evidence takes us. And we’ve investigated, and sometimes prosecuted, eminent people in the past, and I’m sure we’ll do it again in the future.”

Rowley said “conversations” between investigators in the Met Police and the Justice Department and FBI have been happening for some time — though he declined to provide a timeline. He said communication between British and American law enforcement is a precursor to more formal requests British authorities intend to file, including mutual legal assistance treaty — or MLAT — requests.

“You need the original documentation that the American teams have got, and a full, evidenced understanding of where that documentation came from, to be able to stand up a case if it’s ever going to result in a prosecution — which, of course, it may or may not do, depending where the investigation goes,” Rowley said.

The arrests of Mountbatten-Windsor and Mandelson have fueled criticism in Congress and elsewhere about the lack of consequences in the U.S. for the many prominent figures exposed in the Epstein files as having close ties to the late convicted sex offender.

Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested last month on suspicion of misconduct in public office. In 2019, Mountbatten-Windsor was accused in a civil lawsuit of sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s accusers, but he denied all allegations.

Days after Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, British police also arrested Mandelson on suspicion of misconduct in public office amid allegations he passed confidential information to Epstein. Mandelson’s lawyers have said he is cooperating with the investigation. Neither has been charged.

A spokesperson for the Justice Department said “each country has its own laws and rules of evidence.”

“Prince Andrew was arrested for ‘misconduct in public office’ under U.K. law. No such federal crime exists here. As we have said repeatedly, if new evidence of a crime presents itself, we will investigate,” the spokesperson added.

Rowley said the conversations with the Justice Department are a preliminary move before a “formal process” can commence.

“The norm is, if you’re working with a country, you think they’ve got some material relevant for your investigation, you tend to start with conversations, because otherwise you’re sending an MLAT into — you’re sending it blind, really. So it tends to start with a conversation about what’s possible, what exists, what questions make sense to the recipient country, and then, and then it goes into the formal process. So we’re just working our way through that process.”

He declined to identify which Justice Department officials he has contacted, but indicated he has been satisfied by their willingness to cooperate thus far.