Prince Andrew 'has no public future' and may have to give up Duke of York titles, expert claims

Prince Andrew "has no public future", royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams has told GB News.

The Duke of York reached an out-of-court settlement this week with Virginia Giuffre after she made a claim against him for damages.

She says she was was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein, to have sex with the royal when she was 17, a minor under US law.

Andrew fiercely denies the claims.

No details have been disclosed in regards to the settlement and costs, but it has been reported Andrew has agreed to pay an eight-figure sum.

The settlement agreement also states that Andrew will donate to Ms Giuffre's charity in support of victims’ rights and that he has pledged to “demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein” by supporting the “fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims”.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, speaking exclusively to GB News said: "He has no public future.

"There is a possibility he might have to put his titles of Duke of York and Earl of Inverness aside as he has his HRH, it would take an Act of Parliament to formally remove them.

"His patronages and honorary military links have been removed.

"Prince Charles and Prince William know there is no future royal role for him, save perhaps helping to manage the royal estates.

"He pledges in the settlement to join the fight against the evils of sex trafficking and should start by helping the FBI, who are trying to trace Epstein’s accomplices, as he promised to do and did not."

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the decision on titles “rests obviously with the Palace in the future”.

When asked if the Duke of York should be allowed to represent regiments, Mr Wallace told Sky News: “The Palace took a decision that those titles were to be removed from him, so I think he is effectively acting now as a private citizen in so far as both addressing the challenges and the allegations.

“There’s been a, obviously, a payment and I think that is where he currently remains, that the decision on titles rests obviously with the Palace in the future, but I think it’s been pretty clear that this settlement is a recognition that he wants to bring this to a close and also recognise as his statement says the suffering and the challenges that the victims have been through as a result of their allegations and their stand against the exploitation by (Jeffrey) Epstein.”