EPSTEIN CASE THE PRINCE ANDREW

WITHDRAW FROM PUBLIC LIFE

"It has become clear to me in recent days that the circumstances of my ties with Jeffrey Epstein have become a major disruption of my family's work and mine," and "I asked His Majesty if I could withdraw from my public commitments in the near future, "said the prince in a statement, stating that the queen had" given him permission. "

In particular, he is accused of not having distanced himself from the American financier and of showing no sign of empathy for the alleged victims, sexually exploited underage girls. The Duke of York was content to challenge the charges of a woman recruited by Epstein who claims to have been forced to have sex with him when she was 17 years old.

In announcing his withdrawal from public life, Queen Elizabeth II's second son added Wednesday that he "unequivocally regretted [his] misguided association with Jeffrey Epstein. His suicide left many questions unanswered, especially for the victims, and he deeply sympathized with all the people who were affected. ". He says he is "of course" ready to cooperate with the investigation.

Many institutions have ended their cooperation with Prince Andrew. On Tuesday, Standard Chartered Bank and KPMG consulting and audit firm announced that they would stop sponsoring the prince's association, "Pitch @ Palace". On Wednesday, it was the turn of the British telecoms giant BT to follow suit, refusing to support a digital learning financing program, iDEA, if Prince Andrew remained the godfather. Three Australian universities and the London Metropolitan University also took their distance with the second son of Queen Elizabeth II.

Would the royal family sink into "a second Annus Horribilis," as the Queen of Elizabeth II used it in 1992, a year of turmoil for the Windsor ?