Entertainment
Prince Andrew gives up his royal titles in fallout from Jeffrey Epstein scandal
Britain’s Prince Andrew will not use his royal titles, including the Duke of York, any longer, he said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace on Friday. The announcement comes after the release of excerpts from a posthumous memoir by Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who had repeatedly claimed to have been sexually trafficked by the late financier to Andrew.
“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,” Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, said in the statement. “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.”
He continued: “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. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, sued Andrew in 2021, alleging that he forced her to engage in sexual acts against her will when she was 17 years old. The two reached an out-of-court settlement in 2022. Andrew has denied the allegations.
Giuffre was one of the most vocal accusers of Epstein, a convicted sex offender, and Ghislaine Maxwell, who was found guilty of helping Epstein groom, recruit and sexually abuse underage girls. Giuffre alleged Maxwell connected her with Epstein, which Maxwell denies.
In an excerpt of her memoir published by The Guardian, Giuffre describes her alleged encounters with Andrew in detail.
“He was friendly enough, but still entitled — as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright,” she wrote. “The next morning, Maxwell told me: ‘You did well. The prince had fun.’ Epstein would give me $15,000 for servicing the man the tabloids called ‘Randy Andy.'”
Andrew, once second in line to the British throne, has long been a source of tabloid fodder because of his links to Epstein, other questionable characters and money woes.
His attempt to refute Giuffre’s allegations backfired during a November 2019 BBC interview. Viewers saw a prince who proffered curious rebuttals — such as disputing Giuffre’s recollection of sweaty dancing by saying he was medically incapable of perspiring — and showed no empathy for the women who said Epstein abused them.
Within days of the interview, Andrew stepped down from his royal duties.
As well as no longer being known as the Duke of York, Andrew will also give up other titles: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
He will remain a prince, which he has been entitled to since birth.
Cosmopolitan editor discusses what celebrities might wear
A senior fashion editor at Cosmopolitan said celebrities’ outfits could vary vastly as they take on their own interpretations of this year’s theme.
Jessica Neises said some could lean into the “body and fitted silhouettes,” meaning bodycon dresses. Some stars could also tap into the art side.
“Maybe the garment itself is a beautiful piece of art with embroidery or different beading,” she said.
Neises said she thinks there will be a lot of color and vibrancy on the red carpet.
“Tonight is not about being quiet with the fashion. It’s really about being loud. Hopefully, no plain black suits. We want extravagance,” she said.
Venus Williams
Tennis players Venus Williams is serving as one of the co-chairs of the event. She, like many other attendees tonight, is leaning into statement jewelry.
Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images
Nicole Kidman and Sunday Rose Kidman Urban
Nicole Kidman, one of tonight’s co-chairs of the event, brings along her daughter, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban. This is Sunday Rose’s first time attending the Met Gala, while Nicole is a seasoned pro who has attended the event for over 20 years.
Mike Coppola / Getty Images 
Chloe Malle
Chloe Malle replaced Wintour as head of editorial content at Vogue in September 2025 at the age of 38.
Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images 
Anna Wintour
Anna Wintour, now the chief content officer for Condé Nast and global editorial director of Vogue, arrives at the Met Gala. Wintour is the deciding force behind who gets to attend the prestigious event.
Mike Coppola / Getty Images 
Actress and model Cara Delevingne stuns on the red carpet
Cara Delevingne, one of the red carpet hosts for Vogue, arrives in a custom Ralph Lauren dress. Delevingne has been a frequent face at the Met Gala since her first appearance in 2011.
Theo Wargo/Getty Images 
Who is hosting the Met Gala?
Singer Beyoncé, Actress Nicole Kidman and tennis player Venus Williams will co-chair the event alongside Anna Wintour.
There’s also a host committee chaired by designer Anthony Vaccarello and filmmaker Zoë Kravitz.
There are several celebrities who are also on the host committee. It includes musicians Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, LISA, Sam Smith and Yseult; dancer Misty Copeland; actors Teyana Taylor, Elizabeth Debicki, Gwendoline Christie and Lena Dunham; WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson; models Alex Consani, Paloma Elsesser and Lauren Wasser; Vogue editor Chloe Malle; and artist Anna Weyant.
Vogue red carpet hosts, Ashley Graham and Emma Chamberlain, arrive
Model Ashley Graham and influencer Emma Chamberlain will serve as Vogue’s red-carpet hosts throughout the evening, alongside actor Cara Delevingne and TV personality La La Anthony.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images 
Mike Coppola / Getty Images 
What is the dress code?
The Met Gala’s dress code is “Fashion is Art,” going hand-in-hand with the “Costume Art” theme.
Organizers say the show will highlight the connection between clothing and the body and the “complex interplay between artistic representations of the body and fashion as an embodied art form.”
What time does the red carpet start?
The event is held on the first Monday in May every year at the museum in New York City.
Arrivals officially start at 5:30 p.m., but many stars are known to show up late.
Singer Rihanna showed up around 10 p.m. last year, just after rapper and Bronx native Cardi B and actress Halle Berry. The first to arrive last year was singer-songwriter and actress Teyana Taylor a little after 5 p.m.
Members of the press check in hours before to line up along The Met’s iconic steps and watch the stars arrive.
What does the theme “Costume Art” mean?
The annual gala is based on the spring exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.
“Costume Art” strives to make the connection between bodies and the clothes they wear, according to the exhibit’s curator.
“Costume Art will present a dynamic and scholarly conversation between garments from The Costume Institute and an array of artworks from across The Met’s collection, elevating universal and timeless themes while bringing forward new ideas and ways of seeing,” said Max Hollein, CEO of The Met.
Jake Paul has broken his silence after singing sensation Olivia Rodrigo mocked him during her Saturday Night Live appearance over the weekend.
The 23-year-old musician hosted the NBC’s flagship sketch show and mocked the YouTuber-turned-boxer of “beating up old guys on Netflix,” apparently referencing Jake’s fight against the boxing legend Mike Tyson.
During her monologue, Rodrigo recalled her childhood projects and quipped, “When I was 13, I was on a Disney show called Bizaardvark, and we have an incredible cast, which included acting legend Jake Paul.”
She also recalled the conversations both stars had at that time, saying, “And we’d always talk about our futures, me and Jake. I’d say, ‘I really wanna create music that explores the complexities of girls my age,’ and he’d say, ‘Well, one day I really wanna beat up old guys on Netflix’.”
In a 2024 bout livestreamed on Netflix, Jake defeated the 58-year-old legend Tyson, which was widely described as a spectacle more than a real fight.
Rodrigo is having a successful music career and Paul has transitioned from a social media sensation to a boxer, so apparently both achieved their childhood dreams.
The songstress said, “And we both did it, hooray!”
Jake took to X to respond to Rodrigo’s monologue and wrote, “We had the vision [crying laughing emoji] I told you that you would sell stadiums out and then we both did proud of you fr [for real].”
Olivia Rodrigo and Jake Paul starred together on the Disney Channel sitcom Bizaardvark, which ran for three seasons from 2013 to 2016.
Britney Spears will not go to jail after reaching a deal in a driving case that started earlier this year.
The 44-year-old singer was arrested on March 4 in Southern California after police said she was driving her BMW in a way that looked dangerous and at a high speed.
Britney was later suspected of driving under the influence.
In court on Monday, the Toxic singer’s lawyer appeared for her and accepted a lesser charge of reckless driving linked to alcohol or drugs. However, she did not attend the hearing herself.
After the arrest, the music icon reportedly went to a rehab facility as her team said the situation was not acceptable but also shared that she has been trying to make positive changes in her life.
The Gimme More singer’s lawyer went on to add that she has taken responsibility for what happened and has been working on improving herself.
He added that these steps helped the court reduce the charge and drop the DUI case.
Because of this agreement, Britney will avoid jail time.
The case is still being followed, and more details may come out as the situation continues to develop.
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