Andrew's fall from grace

PRINCE: KING CHARLES' BROTHER STRIPPED OF DUKE OF YORK TITLE AMID RENEWED SCANDAL → Monarchy distances itself from controversial figure.

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ROYAL ROW. Britain's Prince Andrew, no longer Duke of York, left, and his brother King Charles III. Allegations in Virginia Giuffre's memoir and years of controversy mark the end of Andrew's royal career.

(AFP)

Losing his title as Duke of York caps a remarkable fall from grace for Britain's scandal-tarred Prince Andrew and appears to end once and for all the royal career of King Charles III's younger brother.

The second son of Queen Elizabeth II, his reputation has been tarnished for years over a sex scandal and he had held little hope of returning to the royal family fold.

But the reemergence of allegations that Andrew had sex with Virginia Giuffre, a victim of convicted US paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, on three separate occasions, including when she was under 18, prompted the latest humiliating blow for the 65-year-old.

In excerpts published this week of her posthumous memoir, the woman at the centre of the Epstein scandal said the British royal behaved as if having sex with her was his "birthright".

Friday's announcement will see Andrew remain a prince, but he will stop using his remaining titles and honours.

"The monarchy simply had to put a stop to it," royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told the BBC.

"He has dishonoured his titles. He's in disgrace."