Prince Andrew has finally agreed to relinquish all his remaining titles following another week of damaging scandal.

Following pressure from the King, he is now handing back all the honours that he had clung onto despite being stripped of his HRH title and public duties over the Epstein scandal and numerous ‘shady’ business deals.

These include his title of Duke of York, membership of the Order of the Garter - the country’s most ancient order of chivalry awarded for loyal service to the Crown - and his position as Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victoria Order, also given to him by his late mother.

He will, however, remain a Prince having been born a son of Queen Elizabeth.

His ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, with whom he still lives at lavish 30-bedroom Royal Lodge at Windsor, will also now be known as plain Sarah Ferguson.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, Andrew maintained the allegations made against him were false but said: ‘In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from then 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.

There was a sense of relief at Buckingham Palace last night that the King’s brother had finally ‘fallen on his sword’.

But there was also despair that the monarchy had been forced to endure another week of scandal at the disgraced duke’s hand.

A world exclusive in The Mail on Sunday revealed that Andrew had out-and-out lied when he claimed to have only met with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein in December 2010 to break the news he could have nothing to do with him again.

The prince told the BBC he felt meeting his friend face-to-face was the ‘honourable’ thing to do and he never had contact with him again.

The paper revealed, however, that just 12 weeks later he secretly emailed the billionaire predator to reassure him, the day after a picture of him with alleged teenage sex victim Virginia Giuffre was published, that ‘we are in this this together’ and would have to ‘rise above it’.

Sickeningly he concluded: ‘Otherwise keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!’

It was signed ‘A, HRH The Duke of York, KG’, as a knight of the Order of the Garter.

Added to the latest unwelcome revelation that Andrew invited the senior Chinese official at the centre of the current Beijing spy case into Buckingham Palace for lunch in 2018 - one of too-many-to-mention scandals involving his shady business activities - and the publication of the late Virginia Guiffre’s autobiography, the situation prompted crisis talks at Buckingham Palace.

However the King has acknowledged that he cannot legally force Andrew out of his home and he will continue to remain there.

The Prince has a private tenancy agreement with The Crown Estate which is said to be ‘unaffected’ by issues relating to his honours and titles.

The changes will take effect immediately and were decided upon in recognition of the fact that The Prince’s personal issues continued to be an ‘unwelcome distraction’ from the work of the wider Royal Family.

The Mail understands that the announcement was taken in close consultation with The King, who has suffered a difficult relationship with his brother in recent years.

His Majesty is said to be ‘glad’ of this outcome.

Prince William, as Prince of Wales, was also consulted as were other family members such as Prince Edward and Princess Anne.

Sources said the duchess has for many years used Sarah Ferguson in her professional capacity and will do so in all other areas.

Andrew remains the son of Queen Elizabeth II. The title of ‘Prince’ is in accordance with Letters Patent issued in 1917 by George V which were updated by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012.

The title of Duke will not be used and consider in ‘abeyance’.

His HRH title is already inactive. The Prince’s other Titles and Honours now join it.

It is understood the titles and positions of his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, remain ‘wholly unaffected’.

Buckingham Palace said his role as a Counsellor of State was ‘inactive’.

Two Counsellors of State act on behalf of The King, in limited and defined circumstances.

Sources said the palace had already made clear, via Parliament in 2022, that Non-Working Members of The Royal Family will not be called to serve in this capacity.

Sources also formally confirmed - as previously revealed by the Mail - that Andrew was banned from Christmas at Sandringham. Princess Beatrice and Eugenie can still attend.

The Order of the Garter, founded by Edward III in 1348, is Britain's most senior order of chivalry.

It is an honour known to be highly prized by Andrew, and its removal is a serious blow for him.

The monarch can strip the honour from members of the order, although it is understood that Charles would much prefer his brother to voluntarily relinquish the title.

One of the last people to be removed from the Order of the Garter was Emperor Hirohito of Japan after his country joined the Second World War in 1941.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/royals/article-15203029/Prince-Andrew-gives-titles-including-Duke-York-Order-Garter-membership-hes-banished-royal-life-fresh-string-scandals-ex-wife-known-plain-Sarah-Ferguson.html

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