London – A bombshell among the royals: Prince Andrew plans to relinquish all his titles, including that of Duke of York.

It is another low point in the long-running scandal surrounding his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a statement released Friday evening, the Duke of York said he made the decision in"close consultation" with King Charles. The monarch was"pleased" with the move. Other members of the royal family, including Prince William, were also reportedly consulted beforehand.

Previously, excerpts from a forthcoming posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre were published.

The Sun on Sunday revealed that Andrew had written in an email to Epstein about Giuffre:"We'll be playing more soon." The finding contradicts his earlier statements in the infamous BBC interview in which he denied any close connection to Giuffre.

By relinquishing all titles, Prince Andrew is finally withdrawing from public life—a move likely intended to protect the monarchy from further damage. According to media reports, Andrew will not even attend the family's traditional Christmas celebration in Sandringham this year.