Prince Andrew gives up royal titles after 'discussion with King'

(NewsNation) — Prince Andrew announced Friday he is renouncing his royal titles, including the Duke of York, after a “discussion with the King.”

"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,” he wrote in a statement shared by the BBC. "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."

The announcement comes just days after an email from 2011 surfaced revealing Andrew supporting Jeffrey Epstein after a photo showed Andrew with his arm around a teenage Virginia Giuffre.

“We are in this together,” the British royal wrote to Epstein, according to The Guardian.

The email, dated late February, was sent the day a picture of Andrew, Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell was made public. Other messages Andrew wrote to Epstein included “keep in close touch” and one that expressed a wish to “play some more soon.”

“I’m just as concerned for you!” the email said. “Don’t worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it. Otherwise keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!”

Andrew's relationship with Epstein

Andrew’s controversial relationship with Epstein has been a persistent headache for the royal family, years after he stepped down from his royal duties.

Andrew was stripped by Queen Elizabeth II of his responsibilities in 2019 after he sat down for a disastrous BBC interview with “Newsnight” to address his friendship with Epstein and quell public criticism.

During his interview, Andrew was questioned as to why he maintained a relationship with the financier following Epstein’s 2009 release from prison after pleading guilty to charges of soliciting a prostitute and of solicitation of prostitution with a minor under the age of 18.

Andrew had reportedly ceased contact with Epstein in 2006 after news broke that Epstein was being investigated but reestablished contact with him in 2010, where he was reportedly seen at Epstein’s NYC mansion, to let him know that their relationship was over.

Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial.

NewsNation's Rob Taub contributed to this report.