Prince Andrew announced Friday that he is relinquishing his royal title, Duke of York, following new revelations about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The move marks the latest fallout in a scandal that has shadowed the British royal family for years, as reported by The New York Post.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, the 65-year-old royal said the decision came after discussions with his brother, King Charles III, and other members of the royal family.

JUST IN – Prince Andrew surrenders his royal titles, including Duke of York — BBC pic.twitter.com/v8Bul3QBVc

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) October 17, 2025

“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.

“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 stand back from public life.”

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The announcement follows the publication of excerpts from a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who accused Epstein of trafficking her and claimed that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17.

O’KEEFE MEDIA ACCOUNTABILITY: Prince Andrew strips himself of Royal Family titles after O’Keefe Media Group exposé on Prince Andrew advisor John Bryan. Bryan is quoted as saying,

“He [Prince Andrew] was f*cking underage girls.”

This marks the first response from the Royal… https://t.co/y2VclNtjZi pic.twitter.com/U9DMwmowID

— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) October 17, 2025

Giuffre, who died in April at the age of 41, wrote that the encounter occurred at the London home of Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Giuffre’s memoir describes Andrew as “entitled,” alleging he behaved “as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright.” Her account revived widespread media coverage of the case, which had largely faded from the public spotlight in recent years.

Prince Andrew, who has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct, reiterated his position in his statement Friday. “As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me,” he said.

Andrew stepped back from public duties in 2019 after the allegations first became public and amid mounting criticism of his friendship with Epstein.

The Duke faced further backlash after a 2019 BBC interview in which he denied wrongdoing but failed to convey remorse over his association with the disgraced financier.

🔥🚨BREAKING NEWS: Prince Andrew just got his royal titles removed including Duke due to a ‘discussion with King Charles’ about allegations of new information connecting Prince Andrew to Jeffrey Epstein getting released in the near future.

This is historic. pic.twitter.com/QYsFmTdb3t

— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) October 17, 2025

Epstein died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, was convicted in 2021 on federal charges of grooming and sexually abusing underage girls. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Prince Andrew’s decision to give up his title adds to ongoing efforts by King Charles to distance the monarchy from past controversies as he reshapes the royal family’s public image. Buckingham Palace declined further comment on the announcement.

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