London (AFP) — The removal of Prince Andrew’s royal title “vindicates” his alleged sexual assault victim, her family has said, as King Charles III seeks to draw a line under the damaging scandal.

Andrew, 65, on Friday renounced his Duke of York title under pressure from his brother Charles, following further revelations about the prince’s ties to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The long-running saga has caused considerable embarrassment to Britain’s monarchy and UK media report that the King is “glad” about the decision which further banishes Andrew from royal life.

Speaking to the BBC, the brother of Virginia Giuffre, whom Andrew denies assaulting when she was 17, said his late sister “would be very proud” of the development.

“We have shed a lot of happy and sad tears today,”

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