(MENAFN) Prince Andrew has announced that he will relinquish his royal titles, including the Duke of York, as he faces mounting scrutiny over his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

This move follows increasing calls for the royal household to take action against him.

The prince has chosen to voluntarily give up not only his titles but also his membership in the Order of the Garter, Britain's oldest and most prestigious order of chivalry. In a personal statement, he emphasized his continued rejection of the allegations, stating he "vigorously deny the accusations against me."

According to his announcement, discussions with the King and his family led to the decision, as the ongoing allegations were seen to detract from the work of the monarch and the Royal Family.

He expressed his commitment to prioritizing his responsibilities to both his family and country, reiterating, "I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first." He also referenced his earlier choice to step back from public life five years ago and, with the King's consent, declared that he would no longer use his royal titles or honors: "As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."

This step was taken after consultations not only with the King but also with William, Prince of Wales. While Andrew will retain the title of prince, he will forfeit the Duke of York designation, a title bestowed upon him by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth.

Previously, the prince had already stepped down as a working royal, lost the right to use the HRH style, and ceased attending official royal events. His withdrawal from royal duties will deepen with this latest decision.

Over recent years, Prince Andrew has been embroiled in numerous scandals, including settling a civil lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre, facing questions about his finances, and allegations involving a purported Chinese spy. Following the prince's decision, his former wife will revert to being known simply as Sarah Ferguson, dropping the Duchess of York title. However, their daughters will continue to hold princess titles. The prince is expected to remain at his Windsor residence, Royal Lodge, which he privately leases until 2078.

The prince’s ties to Epstein have been under intense examination, especially regarding the timeline of when their contact truly ended. Notably, in a 2019 interview, Andrew claimed to have cut ties with Epstein after a 2010 photo showed them together in New York. However, emails from early 2011 later surfaced, indicating continued private communication, including messages like: "Keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon!"

Buckingham Palace has reportedly grown frustrated with the continuous scandals surrounding Andrew. Soon, a memoir by Virginia Giuffre—who tragically took her own life earlier this year—will be published, expected to shed further light on the prince’s alleged involvement with Epstein and his associates.

Giuffre, who described herself as one of many vulnerable young women exploited by Epstein and his network, accused Andrew of having sexual encounters with her on several occasions: at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001 when Giuffre was 17, as well as at Epstein’s New York residence and private island in the US Virgin Islands.

Andrew reached an out-of-court financial settlement with Giuffre in 2022, denying all allegations against him.

Following Andrew’s announcement, Giuffre’s brother expressed mixed feelings but noted that his sister "would be very proud" of the development. He reflected on the emotional journey, saying, "We have shed a lot of happy and sad tears today. I think happy because in a lot of ways this vindicates Virginia," adding that her years of effort were finally bringing some form of justice. He also urged the King to consider removing Andrew’s “Prince” title altogether.

Another Epstein accuser described the prince’s stepping down as a "bittersweet" moment, praising the late Giuffre’s role in initiating the fight and expressing regret that she could not witness the progress. The accuser acknowledged that the removal of Andrew’s titles was long overdue and commended the King’s decision.

Andrew also distanced himself from royal events last Christmas amid revelations linking him to a Chinese individual identified as an alleged spy in a High Court ruling. His office denied that any sensitive information was exchanged with this advisor, who was involved in Andrew’s business dealings.

In 2022, the prince was named in a legal dispute involving a Turkish millionaire and her former business associate. While no misconduct was suggested on Andrew’s part, the case highlighted his receipt of payments connected to complex financial transactions. Notably, the prince returned a £750,000 gift to the Turkish millionaire.

MENAFN18102025000045017640ID1110213903