Prince Andrew renounces all royal titles, including that of Duke of York, under pressure from the Epstein scandal
Prince Andrew, embroiled in scandals over his relationship with American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, announced on Friday evening that he was relinquishing all royal titles, including that of Duke of York.
Prince Andrew/PHOTO: Facebook/Ian Bremmer
“After speaking with the King (Charles III, his elder brother) and my family, I have come to the conclusion that the continued accusations against me are detrimental to the work of Her Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I have always done, to prioritize my duty to my family and my country”, according to a statement from the prince.
“I will no longer use my title or the honors it confers,” continued the prince, who had already retired from public life five years ago under the pressure of the Epstein scandal.
It was recently revealed that King Charles is considering removing his brother Prince Andrew from the Order of the Garter, the UK's highest knighthood, amid fresh scandals targeting the Duke of York.
The Order of the Garter, founded in 1348 by King Edward III, is Britain's oldest and most prestigious order of chivalry. Membership is considered a particularly valuable honor and its loss would be a severe blow to Andrew.
According to the Mail on Sunday, the duke wrote to Epstein in February 2011 assuring him: “I'm just as worried about you! Don't worry about me! Looks like we're in this together and we'll just have to get through it“.
The message was sent a day after the newspaper published the infamous photo, in which Andrew appears with alleged underage victim Virginia Giuffre. In the same email, the duke added: “Keep in touch and we will play again soon!!!!”
This correspondence directly contradicts the claims made by Andrew in his interview with BBC Newsnight, in which he claimed that “he had no further contact” with Epstein after they were photographed walking in Central Park in December 2010.
