Topline
Britain’s Prince Andrew will relinquish his royal titles following a discussion with King Charles, according to a statement Friday, following years of controversy over his ties to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and an upcoming book with more damning allegations.
Andrew announced his decision Friday evening. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
“We have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” Andrew said in the statement, noting “I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
Epstein’s name was not directly mentioned in the statement from Andrew, who will retain the title of prince but no longer be the Duke of York, and who will give up his membership to the Order of The Garter, the oldest order of chivalry in Britain established in 1348.
Sarah Ferguson, Andrew’s ex-wife, will also lose her title as Duchess of York following Andrew’s decision, though the former royal’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will keep their titles, according to the BBC.
Andrew already lost his status as a working royal in 2022 as he faced a lawsuit from late Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre that he settled outside of court for an undisclosed amount, including a “substantial donation” to Giuffre’s charity for victims’ rights.
Giuffre, who accused Andrew of sexual assault on three occasions, one of which allegedly took place in one of Epstein’s New York homes, also named the royal in her posthumous memoir, “Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice,” which is scheduled to release next week, though excerpts have already published.
In one excerpt from the book released this week, Giuffre wrote, “Prince Andrew believed having sex with me was his birthright.”
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Key Background
Controversy around Andrew’s ties to Epstein has dated back more than a decade. In 2011, News of the World published a photo in which Andrew was seen walking with Epstein in Central Park, New York. Epstein had been convicted of one count of solicitation of prostitution and one count of solicitation of prostitution with a minor two years before the photo was taken. Also in 2011, Andrew was seen in a resurfaced 2001 photo holding Giuffre’s side with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell also pictured. Giuffre was 17 years old at the time the photo was taken. Andrew denied Giuffre’s sexual assault allegations in a 2019 interview with BBC Newsnight and said he cut all ties with Epstein after he was photographed with him in 2010. Andrew took a step back from royal duties following the interview. Public backlash against his Epstein connections continued this year, when multiple outlets reported on a 2011 email supposedly sent from Andrew to Epstein that conflicted with the former royal’s claim the two cut ties in 2010. “We are in this together,” the email reportedly read. “Otherwise keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!”
Further Reading
Epstein Accuser Virginia Giuffre’s Posthumous Memoir Is Coming Out—What To Know About Her Life And Death (Forbes)
Epstein Whistleblower Remains In ‘Serious Condition’—Though Claim She Only Had ‘Days To Live’ Was Posted By Mistake, Source Says (Forbe
