Prince Andrew will never again be called upon to stand in for King Charles after giving up the use of his royal titles, GB News understands.

In a Buckingham Palace statement, the monarch’s brother announced he made the decision in light of “continued accusations” against him.

Following the move, Andrew will no longer serve as a Counsellor of State on the King’s behalf.

Counsellors of State have the authorisation to execute some of the official duties of the Sovereign, should they be unable to do so.

These duties include holding Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the United Kingdom.

Those appointed Counsellors of State include the Sovereign’s spouse and the next four people in the line of succession over the age of 21.

In 2022, the Regency Acts 1937 – 1953 were amended so that the King’s other siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward, could serve in the role.

The recent move on Andrew clarified a decision that non-working members of the Royal Family would not be called to serve in such a role, GB News understands.

Prince Andrew will not serve as a Counsellor’s of State after relinquishing the use of his royal titles 

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In a Buckingham Palace statement, Prince Andrew said: “In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.”

“I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further.

“I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.

Counsellor’s of State execute some of the official duties of the Sovereign should they be unable to do so

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“As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me,” he concluded.

The decision for Andrew to step away from his title also means that his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, will no longer use her title as Duchess of York.

Their daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, will retain their titles as princesses as they are granddaughters of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Andrew will also remain a prince as a son of the former monarch.

Andrew’s decision comes amid intense public scrutiny concerning his former relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Last weekend, reports emerged that claimed Prince Andrew told Jeffrey Epstein they were “in this together” the day after a picture of him with Virginia Giuffre was published in 2011.

The Duke of York had previously said he severed all communication with the disgraced financier in December 2010.

However, the newly leaked correspondence appeared to show the duke writing to Epstein on February 28, 2011.

In the message, Prince Andrew stated they were “in this together” and would need to “rise above it”, suggesting ongoing contact between the pair.

The email cast fresh doubt over the duke’s previous public statements regarding the timeline of his association with Epstein.

Andrew has been facing renewed public scrutiny over his former relationship with Jeffrey Epstein

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The exchange occurred the day following publication of a photograph showing the duke with his arm around Ms Giuffre at Ghislaine Maxwell’s London residence.

The photograph in question is of Prince Andrew alongside Virginia Giuffre when she was 17 years old, taken at the Belgravia home of socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.

During his 2019 Newsnight interview with the BBC, the Duke rejected Ms Giuffre’s account, stating the London meeting “never happened”.

He suggested the image might have been falsified, telling the broadcaster: “Nobody can prove whether or not that photograph has been doctored, but I don’t recollect that photograph ever being taken.”

In February 2022, Prince Andrew reached a financial agreement to resolve the civil proceedings Ms Giuffre had initiated in the United States, though the Duke did not accept liability.

Andrew has always strongly denied the allegations made against him by Ms Giuffre.