A royal expert has said that for almost six years the Prince Andrew affair has “overshadowed every royal good intention” – but it’s one key fault that is his major downfall. Prince Andrew has sensationally given up using all his titles and honours after he was engulfed in a sex abuse case involving the late paedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein. Now royal commentator Richard Kay has said he believes the Prince’s biggest problem was his “inability to read the room”.
The dramatic development in the long-running debacle comes just days before the publication of a memoir by Andrew’s late alleged victim, Virginia Giuffre, to whom he paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case, despite denying all accusations. Mr Kay, The Daily Mail’s Editor at Large, outlined Prince Andrew’s disastrous BBC Newsnight interview in 2019.
He said: “Here was a man accused of sexually assaulting a trafficking victim – something he continues to deny – and his primary concern was defending his honour. There was no acknowledgement of the horror Epstein’s young victims endured.”
He added that there was “no expression of regret beyond a tepid admission” that staying at Epstein’s mansion was “probably not the right thing to do”.
Mentioning the famous photograph of the Prince with a 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre (then Roberts), Mr Kay wrote that “he seemed unconcerned” and “that was always his problem – an inability to read the room”.
In a statement released on Friday night, Prince Andrew said: “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. 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.”
The prince, 65, will also give up the other titles conferred on him, including his Scottish title and Northern Irish title, the Earl of Inverness and the Baron of Killyleagh, respectively.
Andrew gave up the title “His Royal Highness” in 2022. But he is still a prince, as the son of the late queen.
The decision means Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, can no longer refer to herself as the Duchess of York after Andrew gives up his titles.
Prince Andrew’s daughters will remain in the royal fold which means the titles of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie remain unaffected.