UK's Prince Andrew Announces Stepping Back From Public Duties Over Links To Epstein

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st November, 2019) Prince Andrew of the United Kingdom announced on Wednesday his decision to step back from public duties "for the foreseeable future" after his friendship with late US financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein sparked major criticism.

On Tuesday, a woman who claimed to have been sexually assaulted by Epstein when she was 15 called upon "Prince Andrew, and any others that are close to Epstein" to step up and share all relevant information available to them.

"It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family's work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support. Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission," Prince Andrew said in a statement, released by the Royal Family on Twitter.

The Duke of York further confessed "unequivocally regretting my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein." He also expressed sympathies for Epstein's victims and added that the sex offender's suicide "left many unanswered questions" for them.

Epstein was arrested twice. In 2005, he served a 13-month sentence in the United States on charges of molesting an underage girl. In July, he was arrested again, this time on suspicion of running a sex-trafficking ring by luring underage girls into his New York and Florida estate to attend sex parties. Epstein, who risked facing up to 45 years behind bars, committed suicide in his prison cell during the pre-trial detention Manhattan's Metropolitan Correctional Center.

Prince Andrew was known to be friends with him and is similarly accused of sexually exploiting young girls he met through Epstein.