Prince Andrew gives up his title as Duke of York

Prince Andrew announced in his personal statement that he is giving up his titles, including Duke of York.

He is under increasing pressure over his links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with calls for Buckingham Palace to take action against him.

This appears to have resulted in the prince deciding to voluntarily give back his titles and renounce his membership in the Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior order of chivalry in Britain.

He said in his statement that he continues to “strongly deny the allegations against me.”

“In discussions with the King and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded that the ongoing allegations against me are a distraction from the work of Her Majesty and the Royal Family,” Prince Andrew said in a statement.

“As always, I decided to put my duty to my family and my country first.

“I stand by my decision five years ago to stay away from public life.

“We think that, with His Majesty’s approval, I must now go one step further. Therefore, I will no longer use my title or the honors bestowed upon me. As I have said before, I strongly deny the accusations against me.”

The decision to stop using their titles was made in consultation with Prince William of Wales and the King.

He will remain a prince, but the title of Duke of York, which he received from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, will cease.

Prince Andrew had already stopped being a “working royal”, lost his HRH title and no longer attended official royal events. Now his role will decrease even more.

He is expected to remain at his Windsor home, Royal Lodge, where he has his own private lease until 2078.

His ex-wife will no longer be called the Duchess of York but Sarah Ferguson, but their daughter will continue to hold the title of princess.

There is a prince has faced a series of scandals in recent yearsto contain A case he solved with Virginia Giuffrequestions about his finances and his relationship with an alleged Chinese spy.

The scandals surrounding the prince were causing increasing frustration at Buckingham Palace.

next week one Ms. Giuffre’s posthumous memorywho committed suicide earlier this year. More attention is likely to be drawn to Prince Andrew’s relationship with him and Epstein.

Ms. Giuffre claimed she was one of many vulnerable girls and young women who were sexually abused by Epstein and his wealthy connections.

The prince claimed his friend Ghislaine Maxwell had sex with him at her London home in 2001, when Ms Giuffre was 17.

In her memoirs, she describes two other occasions in which she alleges she had sex with Prince Andrew at Epstein’s mansion in New York and on Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands.

The prince made a financial settlement to Ms. Giuffre Out of court settlement in 2022after filing a civil lawsuit against him. He denies all the charges against him.

Speaking to BBC Newsnight after the announcement that Andrew had given up his titles, Ms Giuffre’s brother, Sky Roberts, said the news evoked mixed emotions but said his late sister would be “very proud” of the development.

“We shed a lot of happy and sad tears today. I think I’m happy because it proves Virginia right in so many ways,” he said.

“His years of work are now achieving some form of justice, and these monsters cannot escape it; the truth will find its way out.”

She said this was “a moment when survivors were no longer silent.”

“It’s just a joyful moment for them because we finally get that sense of acceptance, like ‘this really happened, what we said is true,’” Mr. Roberts added.

“There is so much to accomplish, especially here in the United States,” he said.

Mr Roberts said he thought everyone involved “should have some form of responsibility and accountability for the survivors” and that any contact from the King or members of parliament would be welcomed.

Prince Andrew has faced intense scrutiny over his links to disgraced financier Epstein, including recently questions about when he actually cut off contact.

In a now-infamous BBC News Night interview in 2019, Prince Andrew said he severed all ties with Epstein after they were photographed together in New York in December 2010.

However, emails sent in February 2011 were later revealed; These emails suggested that he remained in private contact with Epstein; “Stay in close contact, we’ll play some more soon!” Including a message that says.

Epstein accuser Haley Robson told BBC Newsnight it was a “bittersweet” moment.

“Ms. Giuffre started this fight and we will take it to the end,” Ms. Robson said, adding, “I wish she could be here to see everything she started.”

“To have it [Prince Andrew] “Resigning and being stripped of his titles is something that has been long overdue and it is very appropriate and I congratulate King Charles,” Ms Robson said.

However, royal biographer Andrew Lownie argued that “the statement should have come from the King”.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said a “firmer line should have been taken”.

Mr Lownie wrote: Title: The Rise and Fall of the House of YorkHe said: “If Andrew had put his duty to his family and country first, he would have moved out of Royal Lodge years ago, and in fact he would have resigned years ago.”

Andrew withdrew from Royal Family events last Christmas. Allegedly linked Chinese spy His name was determined in the Supreme Court decision.

His office said nothing sensitive had ever been discussed with Yang Tengbo, also known as Chris Yang, who is a close adviser to Andrew’s business ventures.

In 2022, Andrew’s name has been mentioned multiple times. Court dispute between Turkish millionaire and former business consultant.

There was no allegation of wrongdoing by the prince, but the lawsuit highlighted that he received payments under a complex series of financial deals. A £750,000 gift from the prince to the Turkish millionaire has been returned.