New shock to the British monarchy: Prince Andrew forced to renounce all his titles

LONDONThe final fall from grace of Prince Andrew, the third son of the late Elizabeth II. The former Duke of York agreed this Friday with King Charles III – an elegant way of saying that he was forced by the crown – to renounce all his royal titles, including that of the aforementioned Dukedom of York, after the "continued accusations" against him have become a distraction from the work of the royal family. The decision comes after a series of new scandals – or a continuation of those that have been dragging on for years – regarding the prince's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased financier and pedophile, as well as his connection to an alleged Chinese espionage affair in the heart of Westminster.

Just yesterday, in fact, at the preview of the Publication of Virginia Roberts Giuffre's memoirs, the woman who had accused him of sexual abuse when she was a minor, and who committed suicide on April 25, it could be read that Andreu had had relations three times, always under pressure from Ghislaine Maxwell, the ex-partner and partner of the American pedophile and millionaire, and the woman who provided him.

According to the statement issued by Buckingham Palace, in discussions with the king, Andrew has come to the conclusion that the accusations "distract from the work of Her Majesty and the royal family." The prince thus reaffirms his decision of five years ago to stay out of public life, and announces that, with "the consent of the king," he has decided to go a step further: to stop using all the titles and honors that had been conferred on him. "As I have said previously, I firmly deny the accusations against me," he stressed. In any case, Andreu thus completes his descent into hell, to which he already his mother sent him three years ago, following all the scandals in which he has been involved, mainly his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and child abuse. In the aforementioned volume of memoirs by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, which goes on sale next week, the woman explains that Andreu had sexual relations "as if it were his birthright."

Andrew will also renounce his status as a member of the Order of the Garter, although he will remain a prince due to the fact that he is the son of Elizabeth II. His ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, will also give up her title and will be known simply as Sarah Ferguson. Sources at Buckingham Palace indicate that the agreement was reached after very high-level meetings throughout this week, after royal aides reached what they describe as the "point of no return." In recent days, new revelations about the prince's past have increasingly threatened the already damaged reputation of the British monarchy, and the king has finally decided to take this drastic decision.

The announcement came after the newspaper The Telegraph revealed two days ago that Andrés had met at least three times with Cai Qi, the top Chinese official at the center of an espionage case Beijing against British interests, between 2018 and 2019, and even invited him to lunch at Buckingham Palace in 2018. In addition, leaked emails have shown that Andreu remained in contact with the pedophile Epstein for longer than he had previously stated, which he has questioned.

In his now famous interview on the program Newsnight 2019, the prince had claimed to have cut ties with the pedophile in December 2010, but days after a 2011 photograph was published in which he appeared with his arm around Virginia Roberts Giuffre, the aforementioned sex trafficking victim, he contacted Ejstein to express concern.

Cai Qi, a key figure in the espionage case dismissed last month by the Crown Prosecutor's office against two British citizens initially accused of collaborating with a foreign power, and one of the most senior members of the Chinese Communist Party, is a close ally of Xi Jinping, China's president. Reports revealed by the UK press claim that he was the final recipient of sensitive information allegedly passed to Beijing by Christopher Berry and Christopher Cash, the two British citizens cited as accused of spying for China.

Furthermore, it has recently been revealed that Andrew had forged a close friendship with Yang Tengbo, another suspected Chinese spy who insinuated himself into the highest circles of the British establishment. A High Court judge in England and Wales found that Yang had achieved an "unusual degree of trust" with the prince, attending his birthday party in 2020 and helping to establish the Chinese branch of a charity promoted by Andrew.

By early 2022, the prince had already been stripped of his military titles and charitable affiliations, and was barred from using his Highness. Stripping his last remaining title, the Dukedom of York, would have required parliamentary intervention. To avoid further embarrassment to the crown, the king has forced the alternative of resignation. Indeed, a YouGov poll published this past summer indicated that 67% of the population supported such a move. Royal advisors had suggested a few days ago that they were against it, and it was considered that the stripping of all titles could be too radical a step, although public support for it was clearly majority.

This move marks a critical point in the recent history of the British monarchy, and underscores how the combination of media pressure, Andrew's judicial and sexual scandals, and concerns about national security can force drastic decisions within Buckingham Palace. Insiders citing the island media assure that new revelations about Andrew's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and international actors could still emerge, which would continue to generate tensions over the public image of the royal family. As usual, between the family and the crown, Charles III has chosen the crown. A decision already made by his mother.