Prince Andrew has relinquished a number of his royal titles ahead of the posthumous release of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, which is set to hit shelves tomorrow.
However, one title the 65-year-old reportedly has no plans to surrender is that of Prince.
News of Andrew’s decision broke on Friday (17 October), following pressure from King Charles III amid renewed scrutiny over his long-standing connection with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew’s association with Epstein — who died by suicide in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial — has shadowed the Duke for years. His royal duties were first scaled back in 2016 after a disastrous TV interview in which he discussed his relationship with the disgraced financier.
In 2022, Andrew faced a civil sexual abuse lawsuit filed by Giuffre, who alleged she had been trafficked by Epstein and abused by the prince on multiple occasions while still a minor. Though Andrew has consistently denied the allegations, he reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in the U.S., paying an undisclosed sum without admitting guilt.
At the time, he was stripped of his military titles, royal patronages, and the “His Royal Highness” style — honours that were returned to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Now, with the publication of Giuffre’s memoir Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, more claims about her alleged encounters with Andrew are expected to come to light.
Ahead of its release, the prince issued a statement saying he had chosen to give up his remaining titles and honours to avoid distracting “from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.”
Among the titles relinquished is Duke of York, traditionally granted to the monarch’s second son. Despite calls for his princedom to be revoked — including from Giuffre’s brother, Sky Roberts — Andrew will still be referred to as Prince.
Only the reigning monarch has the authority to remove such a title, a process that would require King Charles to issue legal documents known as letters patent.
Speaking on ITV News, Roberts urged the King to take that final step. “He does have the ability to strip him even further of the prince title, which we would call upon,” Roberts said. “I want to commend the King and I want to commend the UK for taking some action.”
Virginia Giuffre died by suicide at her home in Australia in April at the age of 41. Her memoir, now set for release on 21 October, is expected to reignite global discussion over her case — and the royal scandal that continues to haunt the House of Windsor.
