Prince Andrew, the brother of King Charles, has announced that he will relinquish his titles amid the ongoing scandal surrounding his association with late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The decision follows the release of excerpts from a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew of sexual abuse. Giuffre, a survivor of Epstein’s trafficking ring, alleged that she was forced to have sex with the prince at the age of 17.
Epstein was arrested in 2019 for sex trafficking minors and died in jail the same year. Prince Andrew faced a sexual abuse lawsuit from Giuffre in 2021, which was settled out of court in 2022. However, the release of Giuffre’s memoir, “Nobody’s Girl”, has reignited the scandal. In the book, Giuffre alleged that Prince Andrew believed he was “entitled” to having sex with her and saw it as “his birthright”.
In a statement, Prince Andrew said that he has decided to put his duty to his family and country first and will no longer use his title or the honors that have been conferred upon him. He reiterated that he “vigorously” denies the accusations against him. The prince had already stepped back from his royal duties after his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, stripped him of his military titles and patronages when the scandal first broke.
As a result of his decision, Prince Andrew will relinquish the title Duke of York, his knighthood, and his role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter. However, he will remain a prince as the son of Elizabeth II, and his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their titles. Giuffre’s brother, Sky Roberts, has said that the news brings mixed emotions but that his late sister would be “very proud” as it “vindicates” her and brings her efforts to expose Epstein’s and Andrew’s crimes “to some sort of justice”.
The scandal surrounding Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein has been ongoing for several years, with many calling for the prince to be held accountable for his actions. The release of Giuffre’s memoir has put renewed pressure on the royal family, with Prince Andrew’s decision to relinquish his titles being seen as a attempt to distance himself from the scandal. The move is likely to have significant implications for the royal family and may lead to further calls for accountability and transparency.