England, Britain – Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III has begun “formal proceedings” to strip his brother, Prince Andrew, son of Queen Elizabeth II, of his royal titles and honors, in the wake of scandals linked to controversial American financier Jeffrey Epstein.
In an official statement released on Friday, October 17, the Duke of York confirmed that Prince Andrew is relinquishing his royal title and honors, following years of accusations and allegations about his relationship with Epstein, including allegations related to the sexual abuse of minors, details of which were published in a book by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims.
The book indicates that Prince Andrew had an alleged relationship with Virginia Giuffre when she was a minor, allegations he has always denied, but he reached a financial settlement in 2022 to avoid a trial.
Under this decision, Prince Andrew will no longer be the Duke of York, and his wife Sarah will no longer hold the title of Duchess. He will also relinquish his Order of the Garter, Britain’s highest knighthood. However, he will retain the title of “Prince” as the son of Queen Elizabeth II. He is expected to reside in his luxurious 30-room residence in Great Windsor Park.
In a statement, Prince Andrew said, “I have decided to put my duty to my family and my country first, and I will no longer use my title or the honors that come with it.”
Prince Andrew has not held any public role since 2019 and relinquished any military titles or royal patronages in 2022.
