On Oct. 17, Prince Andrew, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, announced through a statement released by Buckingham Palace that he would give up using his title of Duke of York.
In the statement, Prince Andrew said, "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." As a result, he will no longer use the title "Duke of York," which was granted to him by his late mother, nor any associated honors. However, he retains his status as a prince, and his two daughters will continue to hold their princess titles.
In recent years, Prince Andrew has faced mounting pressure due to his association with the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender and American financier, and has been embroiled in several scandals. Despite this, Prince Andrew reaffirmed in his statement that he "vigorously denies the accusations against him."
In a 2019 interview, Prince Andrew denied claims that he had sexual relations with an underage girl at Epstein's property and sought to distance himself from the financier's crimes. He stated that he severed ties with Epstein after December 2010. However, recently revealed emails suggest that he maintained private contact with Epstein as late as February 2011.
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