An influential Member of Parliament has publicly demanded explanations from the royal family regarding the financial arrangements that facilitated Prince Andrew's significant settlement in a sexual abuse case. Rachael Maskell, the MP for York Central, underscored the urgent need for "a lot of clarity" concerning the reported £12 million payment made in 2022 to Virginia Giuffre. Giuffre, who tragically died by suicide in April, had brought a civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew in New York, alleging he sexually assaulted her on three occasions when she was 17. Andrew, while consistently denying Giuffre’s claims and making no admission of liability, ultimately agreed to an out-of-court settlement.

The settlement, according to reports in The Telegraph, included a provision where Giuffre agreed to refrain from repeating her accusations for a year, a measure reportedly intended to prevent any tarnishing of Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations. Speculation has long surrounded the source of these funds, with persistent rumors suggesting that the late Queen Elizabeth II may have partially financed the settlement using private income derived from the Duchy of Lancaster, a historic property portfolio managed by reigning monarchs since medieval times. Maskell stressed the paramount importance of honesty and transparency, stating, "Virginia Giuffre no longer is with us, but she has family. It’s important that everyone has transparency. There is no space for obfuscation, no matter how embarrassing it is."

Prince Andrew recently announced his decision to cease using his Duke of York title, a move he stated followed discussions with the King where it was "concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family." However, he will officially retain the dukedom, as its removal requires an act of parliament. In addition to the Duke of York title, Andrew will also relinquish the use of his honors as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) and Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. His only remaining title, "Prince," is immutable, being a birthright as the son of a queen.

Maskell has been a vocal proponent for stripping Andrew of his Duke of York title, citing his association with the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She previously introduced a bill aimed at empowering the monarch to remove titles independently or upon parliamentary recommendation. Maskell, who lost the Labour whip in July due to welfare policy rebellions, intends to reintroduce this bill to parliament next week, indicating she has garnered support from fellow MPs. She highlighted strong local sentiment, noting that polling in 2022 revealed 80% of York residents opposed the continuation of the title due to its association with their city.

Controversy also resurfaced regarding Prince Andrew's contact with Jeffrey Epstein. Reports from the Mail on Sunday and the Sun on Sunday claimed Andrew contacted Epstein the day after a compromising picture of him with a teenage Giuffre was published. This reportedly contradicts Andrew's statement during his infamous 2019 Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, where he asserted he had cut contact with Epstein by that point. Quoted from an alleged email, Andrew reportedly told Epstein, "I’m just as concerned for you! Don’t worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it. Otherwise keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!"

Despite his reduced status and lack of discernible income beyond a naval pension, Prince Andrew continues to reside in the opulent 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor. He holds a 75-year lease on the property and bears responsibility for its maintenance, reportedly resisting the King’s efforts to relocate him to Frogmore Cottage. The decision to surrender titles has drawn reactions from those affected by Epstein's actions. Sky Roberts, Virginia Giuffre’s brother, expressed profound relief, describing it as a "joyous moment" and calling his sister an "American hero" and "international hero" whose efforts were finally seeing "some sort of justice." Haley Robson, another Epstein accuser, characterized the news as "extremely bittersweet," experiencing "moments of joyous tears" at the breakthrough.