Prince Andrew Gives Up Royal Title Amid Jeffrey Epstein Scandal

Prince Andrew is giving up his royal family title as he continues to make headlines for his past connection to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

“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,” Andrew said in a statement to Us Weekly on Friday, October 17. “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.”

He added, “With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honors which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”

The news comes hours after a report from U.K.’s The Times claimed that King Charles III was “considering all options” as Andrew continues to make headlines for his connection with Epstein. A source told the newspaper that things have reached “a tipping point” between Charles and his brother.

In 2019, the late Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew of sexual assault. She claimed they crossed paths on one of Epstein’s properties when she was 17 years old for a sexual encounter set up by Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

Andrew has continued to vehemently deny any connection between himself and Giuffre.

After Giuffre’s initial allegations, Andrew went on BBC’s Newsnight to discuss his connection to Epstein and the allegations made against him. When speaking with journalist Emily Maitlis, the former duke had “no recollection of ever meeting this lady.”

Following the interview, Andrew announced that he would be stepping back from his public duties.

“It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstance relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organizations and charities that I am proud to support,” he shared in a November 2019 statement. “Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.”

Giuffre then sued Andrew for sexual abuse in 2021. They eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed sum. Giuffre died by suicide at age 41 this past April.

Epstein died at age 66 at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York following his arrest for federal charges of sex trafficking minors. Maxwell, meanwhile, is currently incarcerated at the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas. She was found guilty on child sex trafficking charges in 2021.

Andrew’s connection to Epstein has resurfaced this year when emails between the two from 2011 were released. Andrew previously stated that he had cut off all contact with Epstein in December 2010.

Giuffre also shared more details about her and Andrew’s alleged sexual encounter in her posthumously released memoir, Nobody’s Girl, set to be released on Tuesday, October 21.