Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
Prince Andrew has given up all his remaining royal titles, honours and public duties amid renewed scrutiny of his ties to Epstein and an alleged Chinese spy.
King Charles' younger brother said in a statement on Friday that the accusations against him "distract" from the work of the monarch and the wider Royal Family. Having already stepped back from public life in 2019, Andrew said he now wanted to go a step further, meaning he will no longer use his titles, including that of Duke of York.
He has always denied the accusations against him - and continues to do so. Here, The Mirror listed some of the biggest bombshells that have emerged this weekend following his announcement.
10-minute call with King Charles
The King told Andrew his life as a senior royal was over in a 10-minute phone call. Royal sources told how the King had grown "weary and furious" over the continuing tide of scandal plaguing the monarchy and told Andrew that drastic action was needed to stem it.
One royal source said: "After close consultation with his family, and in particular Prince William, the King summoned Andrew to tell him to do the right thing. He was told it was beyond comprehension for him to continue to enjoy the privileges of his position."
Following Thursday's phone call, Andrew agreed to give up his titles except prince, and issued a statement on Friday night. He will no longer be Duke of York or a Knight of the Garter - the world's oldest order of chivalry.
Andrew 'in orgy with Virginia Giuffre and 8 girls'
A pregnant Virginia Giuffre lost her baby just days after she participated in an orgy with Prince Andrew and eight other girls, according to explosive claims made in her posthumous memoir. Ms Giuffre, who died from suicide in April aged 41, claimed in the memoir that she lost the baby just four days after participating in "an orgy" with the prince and "eight other girls."
Prince Andrew has strongly denied all sex claims made against him. She claimed the encounter included Andrew and that the girls involved did not speak any English.
She added the location was "Little Saint Jeff's," a nickname for Epstein's Caribbean island Little St James. Giuffre said she was "not in great shape" following the alleged illicit encounter and that she woke up in a "pool of blood."
She said none of the men she was trafficked to wore a condom, although there is no evidence to suggest Andrew was the father of the unborn child.
Prince 'set up with second victim'
Andrew was allegedly introduced to a second victim by convicted paedophile Epstein. The woman was supposedly set up to meet the prince when she was presented to the disgraced royal via email on August 11, 2010, and could have met Andrew in London that same month.
The unnamed woman's lawyers have claimed she was "not only abused by Epstein but trafficked by him for many years." Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, the lawyers said the woman had "suffered a great deal of harm as a consequence" of the alleged sexual abuse she endured.
An email was supposedly sent between Epstein and Andrew about her. In an email, from August 11, 2010, Epstein said: "I have a friend who I think you might enjoy having dinner with. Her name is XXXXX (redacted). She will be in London 20-24."
Andrew replied: "Of course. I am in Geneva until the morning of the 22nd, but would be delighted to see her. Will she be bringing a message from you? Please give her my contact details to get in touch."
Epstein allegedly replied to Andrew by sending over the victim's email address. Her legal team did not confirm whether she met Andrew and whether she was abused by him, but they did confirm she was the person referred to in the email.
Emily Maitlis 'felt sick'
Emily Maitlis has said that she "felt sick" when Prince Andrew's 2011 email to Epstein came to light. The journalist appeared on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, where they were discussing Andrew relinquishing all his titles.
The prince allegedly told Epstein they were "in this together" in a 2011 email, despite telling Emily Maitlis in his infamous BBC Newsnight interview that he cut contact with the disgraced financier in December 2010. Sharing her reaction to the revelation, the journalist said: "I felt sick actually.
"He was categoric in 2019 in the Newsnight interview that he had come to stay with Epstein and used this very odd phrase to me. It was the 'chicken's way out' to call up and so he came to stay with Jeffrey Epstein so he could break the news of the end of their friendship in person."
Speaking about Ms Giuffre's upcoming book, which will be released on Tuesday, Emily said: "It will be harrowing, it will be devastating and it will document a life of pain and a woman who was in so much trauma that she believed by speaking out that she could help others through what she had gone through and that she could in someway try and repair the damage to her own life."
Met Police 'request'
Reports claim Prince Andrew tried to get the Metropolitan Police to launch a smear campaign against Ms Giuffre. The prince is said to have asked his Met bodyguard to investigate Ms Giuffre and handed over her date of birth and social security number, according to reports.
The bodyguard was part of the Met's elite SO14 Royalty Protection Group. On top of this, Andrew is understood to have involved one of Queen Elizabeth's most senior aides, Ed Perkins.
He reportedly told the deputy press secretary that he had asked one of the personal protection officers to find damaging information about Ms Giuffre. The Mail on Sunday obtained an email which is said to feature the explosive claims.
Andrew is claimed to have emailed Mr Perkins just hours before the publication published the notorious photograph of him and Ms Giuffre, who was a mere 17 years old at the time. It is claimed that Andrew accused the victim of having a criminal record in the US, which her family have since denied.
It is not believed that the officer agreed to Andrew's alleged requests. The publication reported Andrew wrote in the email: "It would also seem she has a criminal record in the [United] States. I have given her DoB [date of birth] and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on duty ppo [personal protection officer]."
Andrew 'told Epstein of possibility he was pictured with Ms Giuffre'
Prince Andrew is alleged to have told Epstein of the possibility he was pictured with Ms Giuffre. A 2011 message sent to Epstein on February 25, 2011, appeared to indicate he was unsure about whether he had in fact met her. In the email update about a Mail on Sunday's upcoming interview with Ms Giuffre, he is reported to have said: "Categoric denial of Sexual Relations. Possible that I met her in a group with others and possible there is a photograph."
Andrew then hit out at the outlet, claiming it was "just gratuitously trying it on... ably abetted by Miss Roberts [Giuffre] who they will have contacted as her identity will have been known from court records, I assume." He continued: "Not bothered any further about it but will keep watch." Prince Andrew has consistently and strongly denied any claims of wrongdoing.
£10million Royal Lodge renovations
Prince Andrew has splurged a whopping £10million on sprucing up his Royal Lodge despite recently dropping his royal titles, according to royal author Andrew Lownie. Andrew will be allowed to continue living at the property in Windsor even after giving up his titles and honours.
Mr Lownie suspects that Andrew will stay at the residence for "as long as he can afford to" because it is his "last status symbol" which is linked to the crown. He added: "He could voluntarily vacate the 30-room mansion he has occupied for the past 20 years. But the signs suggest that he will stay as long as he can afford to; he pays a peppercorn rent and has spent up to £10million restoring it."
He shared the news with The Times, and continued: "Besides, Royal Lodge is the last status symbol for a man who has little sense of his own identity beyond once being second in line to the throne."
Prince William wants Andrew 'banned from all royal life'
Prince William will be more ruthless and ban Andrew from "all elements" of royal life when he becomes King, it has been reported. It is alleged in The Times that the Prince of Wales is not satisfied with the outcome so far of the so-called "Andrew problem" and he will be banned "from all elements of royal life" when he is monarch.
This would mean he would not be able to attend either public or private royal events, including the Coronation. It is reported that William sees Andrew as a "threat" and a "reputational risk" to the monarchy.
"We're definitely in uncharted territory for royal scandals," said a royal courtier. William is also set to ban Sarah Ferguson from royal events after she has now been stripped of her Duchess of York title.