After all di scandals, why Prince Andrew give up im titles now

Prince Andrew head and shoulders picture

Wia dis foto come from, PA Media

Wetin we call dis foto, Prince Andrew don face growing pressure over im links with Jeffrey Epstein
    • Author, Sean Coughlan
    • Role, Royal correspondent
  • Read am in 5 mins

Prince Andrew dey give up im titles, including the Duke of York, e announce am inside one personal statement.

E bin don dey under increasing pressure over im links with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, wit calls for Buckingham Palace to take action against am.

E be like e don result in di prince deciding to voluntarily hand back im titles and to give up membership of the Order of the Garter, di oldest and most senior order of chivalry for Britain.

For im statement, e say e continue to "seriously deny di accusations against me".

"In discussion with di King, and my immediate and wider family, we don conclude say di continued accusations about me distract from di work of His Majesty and di Royal Family," Prince Andrew tok for statement.

"I don decide, as I always don do, 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 agreement, we feel say I must now go a step further. I go therefore no longer use my title or di honours which bin don dey conferred upon me. As I don tok before, I seriously deny di accusations against me."

Andrew make di decision to stop using im titles in consultation with William, Prince of Wales, as well as di King.

E go remain prince - but go stop to be the Duke of York, title wey e receive from im mother, di late Queen Elizabeth.

Andrew bin don already stop to be a "working royal" and don lose di use of im HRH title and bin no longer dey appear for official royal events. Im role now go dey even more reduced.

Di prince don face several scandals over recent years, including one court case e setlle with Virginia Giuffre., questions about im finances and im involvement with one alleged Chinese spy.

Prince Andrew speak with King Charles for di funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent, for September. Both wear black suits and white shirts.

Wia dis foto come from, Reuters

Wetin we call dis foto, Prince Andrew dey tok with King Charles for di funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent, for September

Im ex-wife go dey known as Sarah Ferguson and no longer Duchess of York, but dia daughters go continue to hold di title of princess.

E dey expected to stay for im Windsor home, Royal Lodge, on wia e get im own private lease wey dey run until 2078.

Prince Andrew don face serious question over im links with disgraced financier Epstein, more recently including questions about wen e don really cut off contact.

For one BBC Newsnight interview for 2019, Prince Andrew say e bin cut off all links with Epstein after dem snap photo togeda for New York in December 2010.

But emails from February 2011 later come out wey suggest say im be privately stay in touch with Epstein, including dis message: "Keep in close touch and we go play some more soon!"

Frustration bin dey for Buckingham Palace sake of di scandals wey continue to surround di prince.

Next week one posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre wey take her own life earlier dis year, go dey published, e go likely bring more attention on Prince Andrew involvement with her and Epstein.

Ms Giuffre claim say she be one of many vulnerable girls and young women wey bin dey sexually exploited by Epstein and im circle of wealthy connections.

She allege say Andrew sleep with am for im friend Ghislaine Maxwell house in London for 2001, wen Ms Giuffre be 17 years old.

Her memoir describe two oda occasions wia she allege say she sleep with Andrew - for Epstein townhouse for New York and for Epstein private island for di US Virgin Islands.

Prince Andrew make financial payment to Ms Giuffre for one out-of-court settlement in 2022, after she bring civil case against am. E deny all di accusations against am.

Wetin we call dis Video, Members of the public react to Prince Andrew giving up im royal titles

Speaking to BBC Newsnight after di announcement say Andrew dey give up im titles, Sky Roberts, Ms Giuffre broda, say di news bring mixed emotions, but say im late sister "go dey very proud" of di development.

"We don cry plenty happy and sad tears today. I think happy because in a lot of ways e vindicate Virginia," Mr Roberts tok.

"All di years of work wey she put in now dey come to some sort of justice, e add.

Sky also call on di King to "potentially go ahead and take out the 'Prince' for di Andrew."

Also speaking to BBC Newsnight, Epstein accuser Haley Robson say na "bittersweet" moment.

Ms Robson say Ms Giuffre "start dia fight and we go see am through", adding say "I really wish say she fit dey here to see all of wetin she start".

"Having him [Prince Andrew] to step down and im titles comot na something wey delay for long, and e dey very appropriate, and kudos to King Charles," Ms Robson tok.

Andrew withdraw from Royal Family events last Christmas after dem name one alleged Chinese spy wey e bin dey linked to for one High Court judgement.

Im office say e no discuss anything sensitive with Yang Tengbo, wey also dey known as Chris Yang, wey become a close advisor for Andrew business ventures.

For 2022, dem repeatedly name Andrew for onr court dispute between one Turkish millionaire and her former business adviser.

No suggestions of wrongdoing by di prince bin dey, but di court case highlight say di prince receive payments inside one complex set of financial deals. Gift of £750,000 bin dey returned to di Turkish millionaire by the prince.