London: Britain’s Prince Andrew announced that he will no longer use his title of Duke of York, following years of scrutiny over his conduct and ties to the late US convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The younger brother of King Charles and the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, Prince Andrew, has faced mounting criticism over his associations and past allegations of sexual misconduct. His reputation was further damaged when a court ruling last year revealed that the British government considered one of his close business associates to be a Chinese spy. Andrew subsequently ended all contact with the individual.
In a statement, Andrew said the ongoing accusations had become a distraction from the work of King Charles and the wider royal family. “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 step back from public life,” he said.
He added that, “With His Majesty’s agreement, I feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use the title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
The decision followed discussions with senior royals, with a palace source saying the king was supportive of the outcome. While Andrew had previously stepped back from official duties in 2019 and lost his military links and royal patronages in 2022, this marks a further formal separation from royal responsibilities.
Andrew’s past includes a high-profile settlement in 2022 with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse when she was a teenager. Andrew has consistently denied the allegations. The issue has returned to public attention following the release of Giuffre’s memoir, which includes claims of Andrew considering it his “birthright” to be intimate with her.
Although he will retain the status of prince and continue to live at Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle, Andrew will no longer attend annual royal Christmas gatherings at Sandringham. His daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, will not be affected, but his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will no longer use the title Duchess of York.
Andrew’s long-standing ties to Epstein and controversial business dealings, including links to a Chinese businessman later banned from the UK on national security grounds, contributed to the decision.
Royal historian Anthony Seldon noted that while the title will remain technically intact, it will be inactive, a step historically significant, as the last senior royal to lose a dukedom was over 100 years ago.
