Prince Andrew Is Giving Up His Royal Title Due To Jeffrey Epstein Ties

LONDON (AP) — Prince Andrew The Duke of York has given up his royal title and other honors following his friendship with the sex offender, he said on Friday. jeffrey epstein is back in the headlines.

Prince Andrew, King Andrew III, said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace. Charles’ younger brother said he and the royal family had decided “the ongoing allegations against me are a distraction from the work of Her Majesty and the royal family.”

It follows the release of excerpts from the posthumously published memoirs of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein and had sex with Andrew when she was 17.

Andrew, 65, resigned from public life in 2019 but has denied wrongdoing.

In a statement on Friday, he said: “With Her Majesty’s approval, we now feel that I must go one step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honors bestowed upon me. As I have said before, I strongly deny the accusations made against me.”

Giuffre died by suicide in April at the age of 41. In her memoir, she details an encounter with Prince Andrew, whom she sued in 2021, claiming they had sex when she was 17. Andrew denied the allegations and said he didn’t remember meeting her.

Andrew, once second in line to the British throne, has long been a source of tabloid coverage for his links to Epstein, other questionable characters and money woes.

Attempt to debunk Giuffre’s claims it backfired During a BBC interview in November 2019. Viewers saw a prince who offered interesting rebuttals, such as disputing Giuffre’s sweaty dance memories by saying she had no medical ability to sweat, and showed no empathy for the women who say Epstein abused them.

A few days after the meeting Andrew resigned from royal duties. Giuffre sued him and the case ended as follows: resident in 2022 for an undisclosed sum. In the statement submitted to the court, it was stated that the prince admitted that Epstein was a sex trafficker and Giuffre was a “victim of abuse”.

While Andrew will no longer be known as the Duke of York, he will also give up other titles: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

He will remain the prince that has been his right since birth.