Prince Andrew, the head of the United Kingdom, made the announcement on Friday that he would relinquish the title of the Duke of York days before Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, which she had accused him of raping her after being trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein, the country’s prince.
Effective immediately, Prince Andrew will no longer sign off as the “Duke of York” or append “KG” – denoting Knight of the Garter – after his name. Additionally, the other titles, like the honorific of His Royal Highness (HRH), will cease to exist.
Giuffre, who passed away in April at the age of 41, claimed that Andrew had forced her to have sex on three occasions, including when she was underage. Though the disgraced UK prince denied Giuffre’s claims, he paid millions of dollars to settle a civil sexual assault case with her in 2022.
Due to his connections to Epstein, who died by suicide in a US prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, the 65-year-old was stripped of most of his titles and removed from royal duties in 2022. His title choice came as he again gained attention as new information about his connections to Epstein was made public.
So, why has he “given up” his titles? What does it mean for the Royal Family of the United Kingdom? And how does he interact with US child sex offender Epstein?
What has the disgraced prince said?
“I’ve made the decision to prioritize my duty to my family and country as I always have.” I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life”, Andrew added in the statement.
We now feel like I must take a step further with His Majesty’s consent. Therefore, he declared, “I will no longer use my title or the honors that have been given to me,” adding that the royal family was “distracted” by the ongoing accusations against him.
He also used the statement, released via the Royal Family’s channels, to “vigorously deny the accusations” against him, as he has maintained.
What impact does it have on him?
Even though he is still a member of the family, even if ceremonially, as an uncle to Prince William and Prince Harry, Andrew had recently returned to a largely private life.
He has been shunned from using other titles given to him on his wedding day – the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh. Theoretically, Andrew won’t use the dukedom, which can only be revoked by a legislative act, but he will keep it.
Sarah Ferguson, the ex-wife of Andrew and Duchess of York, would not use her title. The titles of their two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will remain unaffected.
The 30-room Grade II-listed Windsor mansion will remain home to the couple.
However, since the property has been leased from the Crown Estate, he cannot sell it, as he did when Timor Kulibayev, the then-president of Kazakhstan, sold his Sunninghill Park home in 2007 for 15 million pounds ($20m).
The 12-bedroom house near Windsor Castle was given to the disgraced prince as a wedding present from Queen Elizabeth.
What is known about Andrew?
Prince Andrew, who was previously known as the Duke of York, is the younger brother of King Charles III and the second and third son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
Born in 1960, he was once one of the more popular members of the British royal family, known for his military service as a Royal Navy helicopter pilot during the Falklands War in 1982.
However, Andrew has largely resisted public speaking in recent years because of frequent scandals. His ties to the convicted sex offender Epstein, which caused him to resign from his royal duties in 2019, have since been revealed thanks to the release of fresh Epstein files in September.
Andrew was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages in 2022 after a US judge allowed a civil sexual abuse case against him to move to trial. The queen also stripped him of his position as the Colonel of one of the oldest regiments in the British army, the Grenadier Guards.
Other titles held by the disgraced royal are believed to be his “favourite” child, leaving “prince” as his only remaining title, which cannot be taken away because he was born a son of a queen.
What allegations surround Andrew?
One of the most prominent accusers of Epstein, Giuffre, filed a civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew in a US court in 2021, alleging that he had sexually abused her numerous times, including when she was 17 years old, a minor under US law.
She claimed she was trafficked by Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite, and forced to have sex with the prince in London, New York, and the US Virgin Islands.
Prince Andrew has refuted all claims, even pointing out the falsified photo that purported to show them two together.
Andrew reportedly paid about 12 million pounds ($16 million) in the settlement, which was settled out of court in early 2022, which sparked a backlash over whether UK taxpayers’ funds were used to pay the sum.
In April this year, Giuffre was found dead at her home near Perth, Australia. Her family attributed the death to her past, current personal struggles, and emotional drain, to the suicide claim.
The US House Oversight Committee also released documents from Epstein’s estate last Friday that show the convicted sex offender’s private jet, the Lolita Express, operating from Luton to Edinburgh in 2006.
What does Giuffre’s posthumous memoir say?
Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, which details her interactions with the prince and Epstein, will be available on Tuesday. Giuffre claimed that Andrew thought having sex with her was his “birthright” in excerpts released by various media outlets.
In the book, Nobody’s Girl, Giuffre describes her meetings with the prince – and also recounts what unfolded in London during their meet-up.
When they arrived at the house, [Ghislaine] Maxwell and Epstein said “goodnight,” signaling that I had to take care of the prince. I’ve spent a lot of time considering how he handled things since then. He was friendly enough, but still entitled – as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright.
He appeared to be having sexual relations in a rush. He then apologised in a clipped British accent. In my memory, the whole thing lasted less than half an hour, “she writes in her memoir.
Maxwell said, “You did well, the next morning. The prince enjoyed himself. Epstein would give me $15, 000 for servicing the man the tabloids called ‘ Randy Andy’. “
The family of Giuffre praised Andrew’s choice to step down as “vindication for Virginia”
The family of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who owns his titles, calls Prince Andrew’s choice “revengeance for our sister and survivors everywhere,” they said in a statement.
” Further, we believe it is appropriate for King Charles to remove the title of Prince. “
What connections did Andrew have to US sex offender Epstein?
Prince Andrew is reported to have had a longstanding association with Epstein, a convicted child sex offender and financier from the US.
According to reports, the relationship first developed in the 1990s when Andrew and Epstein were active in powerful social circles in both the UK and the US. He reportedly spent time on Epstein’s private jet on numerous occasions and flew to his private Caribbean island, Manhattan townhouse, on Epstein’s terms. Andrew was also listed on another flight to West Palm Beach, Florida, in 2000.
Maxwell, a close friend of Epstein’s, helped Andrew and other well-known people get introduced to each other, extending his network further. Maxwell is a convicted sex trafficker serving a 20-year sentence.
The association came to public scrutiny after Giuffre in 2021 accused Andrew of sexual abuse.
Andrew claimed in infamous 2019 interview with BBC Newsnight that he had broken up with Epstein in December 2010.
However, new documents released last month reveal that Andrew allegedly sent a letter three months after the interview. In the email, Andrew appeared to tell Epstein” we are in this together “after the two men were photographed together strolling in New York.
Epstein pleaded guilty to the charges of soliciting prostitution with a minor and of soliciting prostitution with a minor in 2008, which resulted in a 13-month jail term.
In August 2019, Epstein was discovered dead in his cell at a federal prison in Manhattan, where he is currently awaiting a sex trafficking trial. His death was ruled a suicide.
Has the prince been the subject of any other scandals?
Other scandals have gotten in the way of Andrew, including one where his “close confidant” was banned from the UK over claims he was a Chinese spy.
Andrew reportedly held meetings in 2018 and 2019 with Cai Qi, a member of China’s ruling political bureau.
The UK government alleged Cai to be the recipient of sensitive information that two British nationals on suspicion of spying for Beijing allegedly gave to China.
Source: Aljazeera
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