Prince Andrew to Stop Using Titles and Honours in Wake of Epstein Scandal

Prince Andrew is to abandon his use of the titles Duke of York and other honours after discussions with the King and his family, amid continuing controversy over his alleged involvement in the Epstein scandal. The decision comes shortly before the publication of a memoir by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's alleged victims, who received a multimillion-dollar settlement from Andrew. The prince will retain his title as Prince Andrew and remain a member of the royal family, but will stop using his dukedom, knighthood, and other honours.

Key Takeaways:

• Prince Andrew will no longer use the titles Duke of York and other honours, despite retaining his title as Prince Andrew.
• The decision follows discussions with King Charles and the wider royal family, who felt Andrew's continued use of the titles was distracting from the work of the royal family.
• Andrew has been under pressure to give up the title since 2022, when a poll found that 88% of readers wanted him to lose the Duke of York title.
• Leading councillors and politicians, including Cllr Darryl Smalley and York Central Labour MP Rachael Maskell, had called for Andrew to relinquish his title.
• Andrew has denied the accusations against him, stating that he "vigorously denies the accusations" and will continue to stand by his decision to stand back from public life.

Statistics:

• 88% of readers wanted Prince Andrew to lose the Duke of York title in a 2022 poll.
• The Prince has been under pressure to give up the title since 2022.
• Andrew has been stripped of his military roles and royal patronages by the Queen.
• The King's brother will retain the dukedom, which can only be removed by an Act of Parliament.

Sources:

• Buckingham Palace
• The Press
• Councillor Darryl Smalley
• York Central Labour MP Rachael Maskell