Virginia Giuffre's brother Sky Roberts says Prince Andrew's decision to relinquish his royal titles "vindicates" his sister after years of allegations against the Duke. Roberts called the move a long-overdue acknowledgement of harm caused, stating: "She was a truth teller from the beginning... she was telling the truth."
Prince Andrew announced Friday he would relinquish his royal titles including Duke of York following consultation with King Charles III and Prince William. The decision comes amid continued fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and Giuffre's civil lawsuit, which was settled out of court in 2022.
Andrew retains his prince title as a birthright but loses the Duke of York title, Order of the Garter, and other royal honours. Sarah Ferguson also loses her Duchess of York title and will revert to her maiden name as part of the changes.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie remain unaffected by their father's decision and retain their princess titles. The duke's relinquishment represents an unprecedented move within the modern royal family.
Historic royal decision
Giuffre alleged that as a teenage victim of Epstein's sex trafficking ring, she had sex with Prince Andrew multiple times, which he has consistently denied. Prince Andrew stepped back from public duties in 2019 amid the ongoing scandal.
King Charles is reportedly "glad" about Andrew's decision to relinquish the titles, according to sources close to the palace. Prince William and Queen Camilla played influential roles in pressuring Andrew to step down from his remaining royal positions.
Only Metro reports new Epstein flight logs showing Andrew flew on the financier's private jet four times between 1999 and 2006. Despite losing his titles, Andrew maintains an unbreakable lease on Royal Lodge until 2078 and will continue living there.
The duke's fall from grace marks the final chapter in a scandal that has overshadowed the royal family for years. Roberts' comments highlight how the family vindication extends beyond legal settlements to public acknowledgement of the allegations' impact.
Sources used: "Sky News", "Yorkshire", "Daily Star", "Birmingham Mail", "Guardian", "Express", "Metro", "The i"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
