King Charles Issues Stinging Rebuke, Andrew Stripped of “Prince” Title and Home

At the direction of King Charles, Buckingham Palace made a near unprecedented announcement on Thursday evening. Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II, will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, the House of Windsor’s official family name, and will lose his home and surrender the lease on Royal Lodge.

“His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew,” read a statement from Buckingham Palace. “His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation.”

The announcement comes nearly six years after Andrew stepped back from his official duties as a senior royal due to the controversy over his relationship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Though Andrew’s involvement in the scandal has been a matter of public debate since 2011, new developments have made his presence at family events with fellow royals a continued problem for the king and his son Prince William.

The palace statement acknowledged that allegations have continued to cause controversy for years, despite Andrew’s denials. “These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” the statement continued. “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 palace confirmed to Vanity Fair that Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie will retain their titles. In addition to the princely title, which was his right at birth, Andrew will also lose his dukedom. As such, he may no longer style himself “Duke of York,” “Earl of Inverness,” “Baron Killyleagh,” or “His Royal Highness.” He will also be stripped of his honors, including Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order.

One palace source said that the king initiated the process to strip his brother of his HRH status and titles, and Andrew has not objected. The king has the backing of the Prince of Wales, and other members of the family agree that Andrew should be stripped of his titles.

Two weeks ago, Andrew said in a statement issued through Buckingham Palace that he would entirely forgo the use of his “Duke of York” title. “I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life,” it read. “With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honors which have been conferred upon me.” But the public outcry continued, and there have been calls within parliament to formally strip Andrew of his titles.

In 2019, Andrew told journalist Emily Maitlis in his infamous Newsnight interview that he had severed all contact with Epstein as soon as he could. But in recent weeks, leaked emails emerged showing that Andrew continued to keep in touch with the convicted pedophile for some time after he claimed he cut off contact.

On October 25, the Daily Mail reported that he had asked his police protection to “dig up dirt” on his accuser Virginia Giuffre in 2011. In a posthumously released autobiography, Giuffre, who died by suicide earlier this year, claimed she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions.

The king has come under public criticism for not formally stripping Andrew of his titles sooner. On Wednesday night, royal aides said that “further action” to formally remove the titles was never in doubt, but added that “the complexities of the legal and constitutional position” had lengthened the process. Because the king was able to strip his brothers of the titles without invoking an act of parliament, Prime Minister Keir Starmer did not need to be involved. Citing Andrew’s “serious lapses of judgment,” palace insiders said the king has done “all he can within his own royal prerogative.”

Though Andrew’s directive to vacate Royal Lodge is taking place “with immediate effect,” it might take some time for him to vacate the 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park. “Formal notice has today been served to surrender the lease. The move will take place as soon as practicable,” said a palace insider. “It has required negotiation between all parties for Prince Andrew to serve formal notice to surrender the lease.”

Andrew will move to a property on the Sandringham Estate, which will be funded by the king. The move will take place as soon as possible, with palace aides saying that the king will continue to privately support his brother.