Prince Andrew gives up all titles including Duke of York after discussion with King Charles: Live updates

The announcement that Prince Andrew is giving up the use of his titles and honours comes days before Virginia Guiffre’s memoir, detailing allegations of sexual abuse against Andrew, is set to be released.

This week, Prince Andrew has made headlines for a series of scandals, including new revelations of his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, whom it was revealed he sent an email to three months after the date he said he had severed contact.

In the email, he told the paedophile, “we are in this together”, and “we’ll play some more soon”.

It was also recently revealed that Andrew met a senior Chinese Communist Party official at the heart of the China spy scandal, at least three times in 2018 and 2019.

An extract of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir was also published on Wednesday, detailing the allegations of sexual abuse against the prince.

She claimed that Andrew believed having sex with her was “his birthright.”

Virginia Giuffre’s brother, Sky Roberts, said he would welcome any contact with the King.

“We would call on the King to potentially go ahead and take out the ‘prince’ in the Andrew,” he told Newsnight.

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

“We have shed a lot of happy and sad tears today. I think happy because in a lot of ways this vindicates Virginia.”

Robert Hardman, who wrote a biography about King Charles, has said that Prince Andrew giving up his titles was not really his choice and due to the various scandals he was engulfed in.

He told BBC News: “Things are simply not going away.

“And I think the palace has decided, and Prince Andrew has agreed, that there really has to be a further separation.

“He wants to look as if he’s proactive and try and regain some dignity out of this.”

Mr Hardman added that although Andrew won’t use the titles, he hasn’t been stripped of them.

Haley Robson, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein, has thanked the King for “standing up to the system and to the abusers” and would encourage him to give Donald Trump a call.

“Thank you for putting your people first and making the people a priority. Thank you for doing what is long awaited, what is appropriate, and for acting and doing the right thing. If you would like to give Trump a phone call, I encourage that,” she told Newsnight.

“This is why King Charles is king, he is showing the world, including America, what it looks like to have somebody held accountable.”

Virginia Giuffre’s sister-in-law, Amanda Roberts, has called for the US justice department to release all documents relating to Epstein.

Speaking on Newsnight, she said only 1 per cent of the documents relating to Epstein had been released.

“This country is in possession to the key to not only further incriminating Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, but taking down all the enablers.”

“It’s so important, that is the justice that we are looking for. That is the justice Virginia wanted and we will non stop until that happens.”

Prince Andrew giving up his title is just “a small slither” of the justice, she says.

Sky Roberts, Giuffre’s brother, said there is more people that need to be held to account, further than Prince Andrew.

Prince Andrew has denied all allegations.

Andrew has stopped using his remaining titles and honours, including the Duke of York, but he will remain a prince.

As the son of the late Queen Elizabeth he is still 8th in line to the throne.

The King’s brother will retain the dukedom, which can only be removed by an Act of Parliament but he will not use the title.

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.

The honours will both remain in existence but will not be used.

Speaking on Newsnight, Sky Roberts, Virginia Giuffre’s brother, said he had been talking to Epstein survivors all day.

“It’s just a joyous moment for them, because we’re finally getting some sense of acknowledgement that this actually happened, what we’re saying is the truth.”

Mr Roberts said some of the pressure Prince Andrew faced would have come from Giuffre’s soon-to-be released memoir, which lays out new details of allegations of sexual abuse against Prince Andrew.

“I want to be clear, she’s with us right now. She’s smiling. She would be very proud of her survivor sisters.”

Amanda Roberts, Giuffre’s sister-in-law, said: “This is only the beginning of what is to come.”

Prince Andrew’s decision to relinquish the use of his titles was made in conjunction with King Charles, who is said to be “glad” about the announcement.

“This decision basically was taken in conjunction with the King – yes, it was the prince’s decision but with very close consultation with the King involved, and we understand that the King is glad of this outcome,” Sky News’ Royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills said on Friday.

Children’s hospice Julia’s House said the reported words made it inappropriate for the Duchess of York to remain as a patron.

Other causes that dropped Ferguson included the British Heart Foundation, the Teenage Cancer Trust, Prevent Breast Cancer and the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation.