Britain's Prince Andrew is stepping back from royal duties "for the foreseeable future" after defending his friendship with a convicted US sex offender.
He says his association with Jeffrey Epstein has caused "major disruption" to the work of the royal family.
In a statement he says he 'unequivocally regrets' the friendship, and claims he's willing to help law enforcement.
Last week, the son of Queen Elizabeth II said he "let the side down" as a member of the British royal family.
The scandal involving the American billionaire and allegations against the prince led Buckingham Palace to issue a number of unexpected statements in the past four years - denying the prince had sex with a 17-year-old girl and that he knew anything of Epstein's crimes against underage girls.
The prince claimed that he was in a pizza restaurant on the night he was accused of having sex with Virginia Roberts when she was 17.
In an interview with BBC Newsnight, he was asked about why he stayed with Epstein after the billionaire had admitted having sex with an underage girl.
He said: "I stayed with him and that's... that, as it were, I kick myself for on a daily basis because it was not something that was becoming of a member of the royal family and we try and uphold the highest standards and practices and I let the side down, simple as that."
