King Charles III has officially stripped his brother, Prince Andrew, of all remaining royal titles and honours.
He has also ordered him to vacate his official residence following renewed controversy over Andrew’s ties to convicted s+x offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Buckingham Palace confirmed on Thursday that the king had “initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.” This marks the first time in over a century that a British royal has faced such an action.
Prince Andrew Loses Royal Status
With this decision, Andrew will now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. He will also be required to leave the Royal Lodge and move into private accommodation on the Sandringham estate.
The move comes amid rising public and political pressure after new evidence revealed that Andrew maintained contact with Epstein longer than he had previously admitted.
Memoir Reignites Controversy
The issue resurfaced following the release of Nobody’s Girl, a memoir by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims. Giuffre had accused Andrew of s+xually ab¥sing her at age 17.
She passed away in April but had earlier reached a multimillion-pound settlement with Andrew in 2022, without any admission of guilt from him.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said the king’s action reflected “serious lapses of judgement,” adding that “Their Majesties’ sympathies remain with victims and survivors of all forms of ab¥se.”
Reaction from Giuffre’s Family
Giuffre’s brother, Skye Roberts, welcomed the king’s decision, saying, “An ordinary American girl brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.”
Earlier this month, Andrew, 65, had already relinquished the title Duke of York. He will now also lose all remaining honours, including the Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.