Prince Andrew has faced public pressure to give up his various titles—including the Duke of York—after his association with Jeffrey Epstein became public. But after the recent email scandals involving Andrew, Sarah Ferguson and the convicted sex offender came to light, it seems Andrew is finally giving in. As reported exclusively by the Telegraph on October 17, Prince Andrew "is set to give up all of his titles, including the Duke of York."
According to the publication, the prince will put his titles "in abeyance" after King Charles put "huge pressure" on his brother to do so. While Andrew, as son of Queen Elizabeth, will always be a prince, he will no longer be a member of the Order of the Garter.
His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who was given the title of Duchess of York upon their marriage, "will also relinquish her title and will simply be known as Sarah Ferguson."
A statement from Prince Andrew reads, "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. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life."
"With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further," Andrew added. "I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."
In September, a 2011 email Ferguson sent to Epstein was released, reading, "I know you feel hellaciously let down by me from what you were either told or read and I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that." The message was sent after she publicly denounced the sex offender and claimed that she would no longer have any contact with him.
Calling Epstein a "supreme friend," she added, "I was instructed to act with the utmost speed if I would have any chance of holding on to my career as a children’s book author and a children’s philanthropist."
Earlier this week, an email from Prince Andrew to Epstein was revealed—and it was sent a day after the photo of Andrew with his arm around Virginia Giuffre was published in 2011. "I'm just as concerned for you! Don't worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it," he wrote (via People).
"Otherwise, keep in close touch, and we'll play some more soon!!!!" Andrew added.
