Prince Andrew has renounced the title of Duke of York, as well as his membership in the Order of the Garter. British Prince Andrew, brother of King Charles III, announced that he is giving up his titles, including Duke of York, due to the Epstein case.
In a statement released by Buckingham Palace on Friday and agreed upon with Charles III, Andrew said: "The ongoing accusations against me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family. I have decided, as always, to put my duty to my family and country first... With the consent of His Majesty, I feel that I must take one more step forward. Therefore, I will no longer use my title or the honors that have been bestowed upon me. I categorically deny the allegations against me."
Prince Andrew will also lose his membership in the Order of the Garter, which is the highest chivalric order in the United Kingdom, but he will retain the title of prince by birthright as the son of Queen Elizabeth II.
According to The Telegraph, the decision was made after a series of meetings at Buckingham Palace amid new scandals related to the prince's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
The new statement from Prince Andrew came ahead of the posthumous memoirs of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who died by suicide in April. She claimed that she had sexual encounters with Andrew under Epstein's coercion when she was 17 years old. Giuffre sued Andrew in 2021, and the case was settled in 2022 for an undisclosed amount. Andrew denied all allegations.
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