LONDON

Prince Andrew, King Charles' younger brother, announced on Friday that he has agreed to give up his royal titles, including the Duke of York, amid persistent allegations about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, Andrew said that after consulting with King Charles III and his immediate and extended family, they decided that "the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family."

"I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me," read the statement.

He will, however, retain his title as a prince, which he has held since birth.

Andrew added: "As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."

His ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, will also not use her title, and their two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their titles.

The decision came following allegations about Andrew's relationship with Epstein, as well as new details about his relationship with a prominent figure involved in the China spying case.

Earlier this week, The Guardian published excerpts from Andrew's accuser, Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir, who committed suicide in April at the age of 41.

In the book in which she recalls in detail her meetings with Andrew, Giuffre claimed Andrew "believed that having sex with me was his birthright."

The prince, however, has always denied claims that he had sex with her when she was 17 and settled a civil case with her for a reported £12 million ($16.1 million) with no admission of liability.

Separately, it has also been reported that Andrew held meetings in 2018 and 2019 with Cai Qi, a member of China’s ruling Politburo.

Cai was suspected of being the recipient of sensitive information allegedly passed to China by two British nationals accused of spying for Beijing, according to a report by the Guardian.

Meanwhile, emails recently published by the Mail on Sunday appeared to show the prince had been in contact with Epstein later than he had claimed in his Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis.

Andrew has already been stripped of his military titles as well as charity affiliations and banned from using his "His Royal Highness" honorific.