Prince Andrew, the late Queen Elizabeth II’s second son, surprised everyone with an important declaration. Going forward, he will no longer use the title of His Royal Highness. This decision comes after months of negotiation with King Charles III and other family members. They have put forth a concerted effort to insulate the royal family from the fall-out of Andrew’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
Though he is giving up his royal style, Prince Andrew will continue to be a prince. His decision is a gutsy move. It’s the latest sign of the royal family’s damage control in the wake of Virginia Giuffre’s accusation against him. Giuffre has long accused Andrew of sexual misconduct when she was a minor, allegations he has repeatedly denied.
In a 2019 television interview, Prince Andrew stated, “I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first.” The prince was subjected to withering attacks for his close relationship with Epstein and for claiming that he never met Giuffre. Giuffre’s allegations created a media frenzy when she asserted that she had sex with him on three occasions. Shockingly, one of those shots happened when she was still a minor.
The storm blew up further when Giuffre posted her description of an encounter in Ghislaine Maxwell’s London townhouse in 2001. At this meeting, she accused Andrew of raping her. She described him as “friendly enough, but still entitled — as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright.” She equally well remembered their trip to Tramp nightclub. In her imagination, Andrew was a “sort of a bumbling dancer” who “sweated profusely.”
After stepping back from public life in late 2019, following mounting pressure from the allegations, Prince Andrew opted for a multimillion-dollar settlement to avoid trial over Giuffre’s accusations. This controversial move was widely perceived as an attempt to shield the royal family’s image during a rough and tumultuous time.
High-profile figures like Prince Andrew have recently taken it upon themselves to renounce their titles. This action is designed to remove distractions from the serious nature of the work of HRH King Charles III and the Royal Family. He commented on this matter stating, “we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.”
Even Sarah Ferguson, Andrew’s ex-wife, has announced she will give up her title of Duchess of York. This decision represents a tremendous shift in their personal and public life.
