Key Points:

Prince Andrew has announced he will no longer use his title as Duke of York or other royal honours following discussions with King Charles III and family members. The decision stems from ongoing allegations linked to his association with Jeffrey Epstein, which he denies.

In a statement released on Friday, Prince Andrew said the move was agreed upon after conversations with the king, his brother, and other relatives. He stated the choice was made as the persistent reports about him were diverting attention from the royal family's duties.

The 65-year-old prince, second son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, will retain his birth title of prince but will cease using the Duke of York title, granted by his mother in 1986. He will also stop using honours such as Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter. These titles remain technically held but will not be used in public or private capacities, as removing them requires an act of UK Parliament.

His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will no longer use the title Duchess of York and will be known by her name only. The titles of their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, remain unchanged.

The announcement follows renewed scrutiny over Prince Andrew's ties to Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in 2019. Flight logs released recently show Andrew travelled on Epstein's private jet at least four times between 1999 and 2006, often with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's associate convicted of sex trafficking in 2021.

Additional pressure arose from emails suggesting Andrew maintained contact with Epstein in February 2011, after publicly claiming to have ended their friendship in December 2010. The emails reportedly referenced a photograph of Andrew with Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein victim who accused him of sexual abuse when she was 17.

See Also: Raskin Demands Bank Records in Probe of $1.5 Billion in ‘Suspicious’ Transactions Tied to Epstein

Giuffre, who died by suicide in April 2025 at age 41, detailed the allegations in her posthumous memoir, "Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice," set for release next week. Andrew settled a civil lawsuit with Giuffre in 2022 for approximately £12 million without admitting liability.

Giuffre's family described the title relinquishment as "vindication" for her and other victims, urging King Charles to remove Andrew's prince title as well.

This development marks a further step back for Andrew, who withdrew from public duties in 2019 after a BBC Newsnight interview where he defended his Epstein friendship. He lost military affiliations and charity patronages in 2022.

Buckingham Palace has not commented directly, but sources indicate internal worries about reputational damage to the monarchy. Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne and a counsellor of state, though inactive in that role. He will not attend royal Christmas events this year. [Rh/Eth/VS]

Suggested Reading: