Britain’s Prince Andrew will no longer be referred to as the Duke of York in light of his association with child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and amid the upcoming release of an explosive memoir from abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre.
“In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” King Charles younger brother wrote in a statement from Buckingham Palace posted Friday.
“I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first,” the disgraced Royal said.
The 65-year-old rival said in 2019 that he would distance himself from public life while investigations into Epstein’s misdeeds continued.
“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further,” Andrew said Friday. “I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
A book soon to be released posthumously by late Epstein accuser Giuffre details her claims of being trafficked to powerful men including Andrew, according to an excerpt reported on by the Guardian Wednesday.
Giuffre died by suicide on April 25. Her lawyers obtained a settlement from Prince Andrew in 2022, though he denies wrongdoing.
The Times of London reported Friday that King Charles was “considering all options” in terms of dealing with his sibling’s alleged transgressions.
