Prince Andrew has announced that he is relinquishing his titles, including the Duke of York, in a personal statement confirming a major step back from royal life.
The decision follows sustained pressure over his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as calls mounted for Buckingham Palace to act.
The move appears to be a voluntary one, with the prince also giving up his membership in the Order of the Garter — the oldest and most senior order of chivalry in Britain.
In his statement, Prince Andrew said he continues to “vigorously deny the accusations against me”.
“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,” said a statement from Prince Andrew.
“I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.”
“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. 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.”
The prince’s decision to stop using his titles was made after consultation with King Charles and the Prince of Wales.
He will retain the title of prince but will no longer be known as the Duke of York, a title bestowed on him by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Prince Andrew had already ceased being a working royal, lost the use of the HRH style, and no longer appeared at official royal engagements. His public role is now expected to diminish even further.
The Duke has faced multiple controversies in recent years, including a civil case settled with Virginia Giuffre, questions over his financial dealings, and alleged links to a Chinese spy.
His former wife will now be styled simply as Sarah Ferguson, while their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their titles.
Andrew is expected to remain at his Windsor residence, Royal Lodge, which he holds under a private lease running until 2078.
The prince has long been under scrutiny for his friendship with Epstein, with questions resurfacing about when he truly ended their association.
In a widely criticised 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, Andrew insisted he had severed all ties with Epstein after being photographed with him in New York in December 2010.
However, emails dated February 2011 later surfaced, suggesting he remained in contact, including one message reading: “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!”
Tensions within Buckingham Palace reportedly grew as scandals surrounding Andrew continued to attract public attention.
Further scrutiny is expected with the upcoming publication of a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who died earlier this year. The book is likely to renew focus on her relationship with Epstein and her allegations against the prince.
Giuffre claimed she was among numerous vulnerable young women exploited by Epstein and his wealthy associates.
She alleged that Andrew had sex with her at Ghislaine Maxwell’s London home in 2001, when she was 17 years old.
Her memoir is said to detail two other alleged encounters, one at Epstein’s New York townhouse and another on his private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In 2022, Prince Andrew made a financial settlement to Giuffre after she filed a civil lawsuit against him. He has continued to deny all allegations.
Speaking to BBC Newsnight after the announcement, Giuffre’s brother, Sky Roberts, described mixed emotions but said his late sister “would be very proud” of the development.
“We have shed a lot of happy and sad tears today. I think happy because in a lot of ways this vindicates Virginia,” Roberts said.
“All the years of work that she put in is now coming to some sort of justice,” he added.
He also called on the King to “potentially go ahead and take out the ‘Prince’ in the Andrew.”
Also speaking to BBC Newsnight, Epstein accuser Haley Robson called the news “bittersweet”.
Ms Robson said Giuffre “started this fight and we’re going to see it through”, adding, “I really wish that she could have been here to see all of what she started”.
“Having him [Prince Andrew] step down and be stripped of his titles is something that is long delayed, and it is very appropriate, and kudos to King Charles,” Ms Robson said.
Prince Andrew withdrew from royal gatherings last Christmas after his connection to an alleged Chinese spy was revealed in a High Court ruling.
His office stated that nothing sensitive had ever been discussed with the individual, Yang Tengbo, also known as Chris Yang, who had served as an advisor on business matters.
In 2022, the prince’s name again surfaced during a court dispute between a Turkish millionaire and her former adviser.
While there were no allegations of wrongdoing, the case highlighted financial transactions involving Andrew, including a £750,000 payment later returned by the prince.
