Prince Andrew gives up royal titles as accuser's family hails 'victory for Virginia'

It comes after a slew of scandals for Andrew including his ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as well as dealings with an alleged spy for China.

A memoir by Andrew's late alleged victim, Virginia Giuffre, to whom he paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case, is also due to be published in the next few days.

In a statement, he said the "continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family."

He went on: "I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me."

He added that he "vigorously" denies the accusations made against him.

Virginia Giuffre’s family say the news "vindicates" their sister.

Ms Giuffre’s brother Sky Roberts said his sister, who died in April, was a “truth teller from the beginning”.

He said: “We’ve shed a lot of happy and sad tears today. I think happy because in a lot of ways this vindicates Virginia.”

Ms Giuffre alleges she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions, including when she was 17, after being trafficked by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

She said in her memoir that Andrew acted as if sex with her was his “birthright”.

Mr Roberts added he would “welcome” contact with the UK Parliament or the King, offering to “present the evidence that we believe is available to continue her voice”.

“I think it’s so important for the world to know how much of a hero she was, but how much is still left that the stone is still left unturned to some degree,” he said.

“This is just one step of many.”

Read more: Prince Andrew acted 'entitled to sex with me,' Virginia Giuffre alleges in posthumous autobiography

Read more: Prince Andrew is 'tip of the Epstein iceberg,' Emily Maitlis tells LBC

LBC understands the decision was taken in close consultation with the King and that His Majesty is said to be "glad" of the outcome.

Andrew will remain a prince, which he has been entitled to since birth.

He will also give up his knighthood as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) and his Garter role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

His ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, will also relinquish her title and will just be known as Sarah Ferguson. Their daughters will continue to have the title of princess

'Distract'

The full statement released on Friday evening, Prince Andrew said: "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.

"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."

Merely days ago, leaked emails showed Andrew stayed in touch with Epstein longer than he had claimed, raising questions about what else he may have been dishonest about.

The Duke of York said in his now infamous car crash interview he cut ties with Epstein in December 2010 after the latter’s child prostitution prosecution and prison sentence.

The newly-released emails were dated February 28, 2011, the day after the Mail on Sunday published the now infamous photograph of Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell with Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre.

The Prince has always denied any wrongdoing - but admitted his decision to visit Epstein in 2010 was ill-advised.

News Agents co-host Emily Maitlis, whose 2019 interview with the Duke led to his removal from public life, told LBC that the Prince's version of events now does "not quite add up".

"None of it quite adds up, does it?

"Because Epstein was convicted in 2008, he then served this prison sentence. And the narrative from Andrew had always been, after I realised who he was, you know, broadly, I ended contact with him."

According to The Sun on Sunday, correspondence reported to be between the paedo and the Prince read: “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.”

Andrew also allegedly urged the serial predator to “keep in close touch” and told him: “We’ll play some more soon!!!!”

This came months after the pair were pictured together in Central Park, sparking uproar.

Meanwhile, Andrew is also under the spotlight after allegedly inviting Cai Qi, the senior Chinese official at the centre of the China spy case, to Buckingham Palace for lunch in 2018.