Prince Andrew scandal: Accuser's lawyers praise his retreat; Queen Elizabeth stays busy

A day after Buckingham Palace announced Prince Andrew would step back from his royal duties over his past friendship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a lawyer for Andrew's accuser reacted to the move.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre has repeatedly said that she was groomed by Epstein and his associates to sexually service Epstein's powerful friends, including Prince Andrew, when she was a teen. Andrew has denied the accusation, but he announced Wednesday that he was halting his public duties because "my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work."

"Our clients welcome Prince Andrew's decision to withdraw from public life as a member of England's royal family," read a statement to USA TODAY from Sigrid McCawley and the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, which is representing Giuffre and other women. "It is a positive first step towards taking responsibility for his actions."

The statement also called on Andrew to "agree to be interviewed by the lawyers representing the victims of Jeffrey Epstein."

Andrew's retreat comes on the heels of a recent controversial interview with the BBC in which he said doesn't remember meeting Giuffre, despite a picture of the two, he with his arm around her waist, that has been floating around the internet since at least 2011.

Since the announcement, he showed his face for the first time Thursday, waving to onlookers while leaving his Windsor, England, home in the driver's seat of a car.

Prince Andrew steps back: What does it mean for the royal family?

Ever the professional, Queen Elizabeth II, meanwhile, carried on Wednesday with her public duties as usual.

Soon after the Prince Andrew news was announced, Queen Elizabeth made a public appearance, presenting Sir David Attenborough and the BBC Studios Natural History Unit with the annual Chatham House Prize, awarded annually to a person or group that made a "significant contribution" to international relations.

"Sir David, this award recognizes your many talents and one can’t help but feel that, for those of us of a certain generation, we can take great pleasure in proving age is no barrier to being a positive influence" the queen said in her speech. "Your ability to communicate the beauty and vulnerability of our natural environment remains unequaled as you – and your team – have engaged and enthused many people, young and old, to appreciate and preserve our world’s oceans. For that we should all be thankful."

In the midst of what was a busy day, the queen, 93, also marked her 72nd wedding anniversary with Prince Philip, 98.

The official royal family Instagram account shared a black-and-white throwback photo from the couple's wedding day where they can be seen waving from a balcony. The account also posted a current photo of Queen Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh walking side by side, with the queen in pink, holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Happy 72nd Wedding Anniversary to The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, who were married on this day in Westminster Abbey," the caption read.

Contributing: Maria Puente, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Prince Andrew steps back: Virginia Roberts Giuffre reacts; queen works