By Gbenga Oresanya,
In a decisive and near-unprecedented move, King Charles III has formally stripped his younger brother, Prince Andrew, of all remaining royal titles, honours, and privileges, and ordered him to vacate his long-term residence, the 30-room Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate.
The announcement from Buckingham Palace marks the final, conclusive stage of the fallout from the Duke of York’s ties to the late convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, and the resulting civil lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre. The King’s action is widely seen as a necessary measure to protect the reputation of the monarchy amid persistent public pressure and renewed media scrutiny.
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Removal of Titles and Change of Name
Buckingham Palace confirmed that King Charles III has initiated a “formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.” The most immediate and striking consequence is the loss of his title of ‘Prince’ and the style ‘His Royal Highness’ (HRH), a designation held since birth.
The former prince will now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. This definitive removal of birthright titles goes significantly further than Andrew’s voluntary decision earlier this month to stop using his title as the Duke of York. The King is utilizing his Royal Prerogative to finalize the process.
Among the honours removed are:
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- The title Prince.
- The title Duke of York (which requires a formal process via Royal Warrant).
- His status in the Order of the Garter.
- His status as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.
- Eviction from Royal Lodge
“Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage,” they said.
“Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and countless other survivors like her.”
Andrew, who is the second son of the late queen Elizabeth II, has repeatedly denied the allegations.
The announcement followed a torrent of outrage at renewed accusations of sexual assault made by one of Jeffrey Epstein’s main accusers against the 65-year-old, who has denied the charges.
It comes days after the posthumous publication of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, in which the victim of US sex offender Epstein reiterated in shocking detail allegations that she was trafficked to have sex with Andrew three times, including twice when she was only 17.
“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” the palace said.
“Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse,” it added.
It is understood that Andrew did not object to the king’s decision, and that the UK government has been consulted.
Giuffre took her own life in April, aged 41, while Epstein died by suicide in 2019 in prison awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
But he had agreed to pay US and Australian citizen Giuffre millions of dollars in 2022 to end her civil sexual assault case against him.
In an equally dramatic step, the Palace confirmed that Andrew has been ordered to surrender the lease on the Royal Lodge. This sprawling mansion, which has been his primary residence for over 20 years, is owned by the Crown Estate.
The Palace stated that “Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation.” Reports indicate that Andrew is expected to move to a property on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, which is privately owned by the King, and his accommodation will be privately funded by King Charles. This move also necessitates the relocation of his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, who had been residing with him.
The Palace statement concluded by addressing the moral reasoning behind the censure: “These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
The King’s decision follows a surge of public scrutiny. The recent posthumous publication of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, in which she reaffirmed her claims against Andrew, brought the controversy back into sharp focus.
Furthermore, Andrew’s favorable lease terms on the Royal Lodge, where reports suggest he paid only a nominal “peppercorn rent” for two decades, had drawn intense criticism from political figures and the public, with MPs raising questions about the arrangement.
King Charles III, who is focused on creating a streamlined and modern monarchy, has used this action to draw a clear line between the institution and his brother’s ongoing scandal. The move is considered the most significant royal demotion since King Edward VIII was made the Duke of Windsor after abdicating the throne in 1936.
