Prince Andrew, the younger brother of Charles III, has announced that he is giving up his titles, including the Duke of York, after ongoing pressure over his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
The Times previously reported that Charles III was considering stripping Prince Andrew of his titles as the palace reached a “boiling point” following a series of scandals. It was also reported that the King hoped that Andrew would voluntarily give up his title.
“In discussions with the King, my immediate circle, and my family, we have concluded that the ongoing allegations against me are distracting from the work of Her Majesty and the Royal Family. I am determined, as always, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to step back from public life. With Her Majesty’s consent, we believe that I should take this step. Accordingly, I will no longer use my title or any honours I have received,” Andrew’s statement said, as reported by Sky.
Prince Andrew stressed that he “strongly denies” the allegations against him. A parliamentary vote is required to remove him from the Duke of York’s title permanently, so Andrew’s statement suggests that he will voluntarily give up his title without losing it.
According to media reports, the Duke of York wrote a letter to Epstein in February 2011, just 12 weeks after he announced that he had cut all ties with him. New evidence of Andrew’s close relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has emerged in a recently released email.
