Prince Andrew gives up royal titles, honors amid Epstein scandal allegations

LONDON, United Kingdom (AA) — Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, announced Friday that he is relinquishing his royal titles and honors, including the Duke of York, following persistent allegations linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, Andrew said the decision was made after consulting with the King and other family members. “The continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family,” he said.

“I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.”

He will, however, retain his title as a prince, which he has held since birth. Andrew reiterated his stance, saying, “As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”

His ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, will also forgo her title, while their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will keep theirs.

The move follows new attention on Andrew’s ties to Epstein and revelations surrounding his meetings with senior Chinese official Cai Qi, who has been linked to a suspected espionage case involving two British nationals.

Earlier this week, The Guardian published excerpts from the late Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, in which she detailed alleged encounters with Andrew and claimed he “believed that having sex with me was his birthright.”

Andrew has long denied the allegations and previously settled a civil case with Giuffre for a reported £12 million ($16 million) without admitting liability.

Emails published by the Mail on Sunday also suggested Andrew maintained contact with Epstein later than he admitted in his 2019 BBC Newsnight interview.

Andrew had already been stripped of his military titles, charity roles, and the “His Royal Highness” honorific prior to this announcement.