U.K.'s Prince Andrew Quits Public Role After Epstein Outcry

(Bloomberg) -- Prince Andrew stepped down from his public duties after a prime-time television interview threw fuel on the fire of the controversy surrounding his relationship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a statement, the prince said it had “become clear” in recent days his links to Epstein had become “a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organizations and charities that I am proud to support.” He asked Queen Elizabeth II if he could step back from public duties, and she has given him permission, he said.

Prince Andrew, who has the title of Duke of York and is eighth in line to the throne, also said he would be willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations.

The BBC broadcast an interview with Prince Andrew on Saturday night about his relationship with the disgraced financier Epstein, who killed himself in custody three months ago. He faced questions about allegations made by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s accusers, who has said she was forced into sexual encounters with the prince as a teenager.

The prince denied those allegations and claimed he was at the mid-market Pizza Express restaurant in Woking, southern England, on the night in 2001 when one incident is alleged to have taken place.

Corporate Fallout

Companies including BT Group Plc, AstraZeneca Plc, Aon Plc and Standard Chartered Plc have distanced themselves from organizations sponsored by the prince in recent days.

Pressed on Prince Andrew’s friendship with Epstein in a televised election debate on Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “the institution of the monarchy is beyond reproach.”

But earlier in the day, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland issued a rare veiled rebuke to the prince, saying Epstein’s victims should be the main concern for anyone discussing this case. Following the hour-long BBC interview, Prince Andrew was widely criticized for failing to acknowledge their suffering.

--With assistance from Jessica Shankleman.

To contact the reporter on this story: Greg Ritchie in London at gritchie10@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Stuart Biggs, Flavia Krause-Jackson

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