London —
Prince Andrew will relinquish the use of his royal titles including Duke of York after discussing the matter with King Charles.
“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,” Prince Andrew said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace.
The change will take effect immediately, a royal source told Dubai news today.
Prince Andrew has faced mounting pressure over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and his links to an alleged Chinese spy.
The prince reiterated that he “vigorously” denies all allegations made against him.
Andrew withdrew from public duties in 2019 following a widely criticized BBC interview concerning his association with Jeffrey Epstein.
“With His Majesty’s consent, I believe it is appropriate to take a further step. Therefore, I will no longer use my title or the honours that have been bestowed upon me,” Andrew stated on Friday.
William, Prince of Wales, and other members of the royal family were consulted during the discussions.
Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, will be known as “Sarah Ferguson.” The titles of their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will not be affected by the measure.
He will no longer attend any of the royal family’s Christmas celebrations, according to a royal source.
Andrew will continue to reside at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, where he has a private tenancy agreement, a royal source said. He will also retain his title as “prince” because he is the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Andrew’s widely publicized controversies began after he was named in a 2015 sexual abuse lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre.
Giuffre alleged that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked her and coerced her into sexual activity with several of his associates in 2001, including Prince Andrew, claiming that he was aware she was underage in the United States at the time.
She further accused Andrew of sexually abusing her at Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, at his Manhattan residence, and at the London home of his former associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Amid the lawsuit, Andrew was stripped of his military titles and positions on several charities.
Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied Giuffre’s allegations.
In 2022, Prince Andrew and Giuffre reached an undisclosed out-of-court settlement.
The more than decade-long friendship between Prince Andrew and Epstein ended in 2011, when Epstein threatened legal action against Prince Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.
Prince Andrew has also faced intense scrutiny over his links to an alleged Chinese spy.
Court documents revealed the extent of Andrew’s relationship with Yang Tengbo, who reportedly forged close ties with the prince.
During a tribunal hearing in December 2024, which upheld a previous decision preventing Yang from entering the United Kingdom, it was disclosed that Yang had been authorized to represent Prince Andrew in business meetings with prospective Chinese investors in the country.
Throughout a government investigation into the relationship, Yang has denied any wrongdoing.
