Prince Andrew has renounced his royal titles, a decision described as the "right course of action" by a senior British government minister. The younger brother of King Charles III announced last week that he would no longer use his Duke of York title, following years of scrutiny regarding his connections to the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.

Bridget Phillipson, the education minister, expressed support for Andrew's decision during an interview, stating, "We believe that's the right course of action." When questioned about calls to remove Andrew's title of prince, she noted that such matters are for the royal family to decide, not the government.

This decision comes ahead of the release of Virginia Giuffre's memoir, in which she details her allegations against Andrew. Giuffre has claimed that she was forced to have sex with him when she was 17, a charge that Andrew has consistently denied. The prince's actions have drawn renewed attention as the Metropolitan Police announced they are investigating claims that he asked a bodyguard to gather information on Giuffre in 2011.

The allegations against Andrew have intensified following the release of excerpts from Giuffre's posthumous autobiography. In her book, she reiterated her claims against Andrew, stating he acted as if having sex with her was his "birthright."

Andrew's relationship with Epstein has been a source of controversy for years. In 2022, he settled a civil sexual assault case with Giuffre for millions, despite maintaining that he never met her. His 2019 interview with the BBC, intended to clear his name, backfired when he failed to express sympathy for Epstein's victims and defended his friendship with the convicted sex offender.

As a result of these scandals, Andrew has seen his royal duties significantly reduced. He was stripped of military titles and royal patronages in 2022 and was no longer referred to as His Royal Highness. However, he retained the titles of Duke of York and Knight of the Order of the Garter until now.

The decision to relinquish his titles was made in consultation with King Charles and other members of the royal family. Andrew stated that he chose to step back from public life to avoid distracting from the work of the monarchy.

Calls for further action against Andrew have emerged, with some suggesting that King Charles should strip him of his title of prince entirely. Virginia Giuffre's brother, Sky Roberts, urged the King to take more decisive action, stating, "I think there’s more that he could do."

The royal family is under pressure as public scrutiny continues to mount. Anti-monarchy groups have called for investigations into Andrew's past, while members of Parliament are also pushing for a review of rules regarding royal titles.

As the situation develops, the royal family faces the challenge of managing the fallout from Andrew's actions and the ongoing public interest in the allegations against him.