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**Calls Grow to Strip Prince Andrew of “Prince” Title Following His Decision to Relinquish Other Royal Honours**
Prince Andrew, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth II and brother to King Charles III, is once again at the center of controversy as he steps down from his remaining royal titles amidst ongoing scrutiny over his alleged involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. The move, announced on Friday, comes after years of mounting public and private pressure for the Royal Family to address the allegations against him and the damage caused to the monarchy’s public image.
**Allegations and Legal Settlement**
The controversy surrounding Prince Andrew has primarily stemmed from allegations made by Virginia Giuffre, a survivor of sex trafficking and abuse at the hands of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Giuffre alleges that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three separate occasions in 2001, including once when she was just 17 years old at Maxwell’s London home.
These serious accusations led to a highly publicized civil lawsuit in the United States, which was eventually settled out of court in 2022. Prince Andrew agreed to make a significant financial payment to Giuffre, although he has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing. The out-of-court settlement notably included a one-year gag order preventing Giuffre from speaking publicly about the details of the case, a measure reportedly intended to avoid further embarrassment to the Royal Family during Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee.
**Virginia Giuffre’s Family Responds**
In the wake of Prince Andrew’s announcement that he would voluntarily relinquish his remaining titles—including Duke of York and membership in the prestigious Order of the Garter—Virginia Giuffre’s brother, Sky Roberts, spoke out on BBC Newsnight. Roberts, whose sister tragically died by suicide earlier this year, expressed that Virginia would have been “very proud” of the latest developments regarding Prince Andrew’s status.
Roberts went further, calling on King Charles III to strip Andrew of his “prince” title entirely, arguing that the monarchy should take every possible step to hold those implicated in the scandal to account. "We would call on the King to potentially go ahead and take out the prince in the Andrew," he said, emphasizing the importance of responsibility and accountability for survivors of abuse. Roberts also urged the King and members of Parliament to engage directly with survivors and their families.
**The Significance of Titles and Royal Protocol**
Prince Andrew was born in 1960 as a prince, a title automatically conferred upon him as the son of a monarch. Under British law and royal tradition, such a title can only be removed by means of a formal Letters Patent issued by the reigning monarch—in this case, King Charles III. Until now, Andrew had already ceased to be a “working royal” following the initial emergence of the allegations. He had lost the use of “His Royal Highness” (HRH) and had been excluded from official royal engagements and events. However, his latest decision to relinquish his remaining titles marks the most significant step yet in his withdrawal from public royal life.
In his statement, Prince Andrew acknowledged the ongoing controversy, stating, “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. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first.” He reiterated his denial of the accusations but said that in the interest of the monarchy, he would no longer use his titles or honours.
**Growing Pressure and Public Scrutiny**
The announcement comes at a time of intensifying scrutiny for Prince Andrew and the Royal Family. The prince’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, have lingered in the public consciousness for years, fueled by damaging revelations and media investigations. The infamous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, in which Andrew attempted to explain his relationship with Epstein, only exacerbated the controversy. During the interview, he claimed to have severed all ties with Epstein after their final meeting in December 2010, yet subsequent email correspondence from February 2011 suggested that they had remained in contact.
The fallout from these revelations has been severe. Prince Andrew has been forced to step back from public life, relinquish his HR