King Charles strips his brother Andrew of ‘prince’ title and evicts him from royal mansion

The royal will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, Buckingham Palace has said.

LONDON — In a decisive and unprecedented move, King Charles has formally begun the process of stripping his brother, Prince Andrew, of all royal titles and evicting him from his residence on the Windsor estate. The action marks the most forceful attempt yet by the monarchy to distance itself from the ongoing scandal surrounding Andrew’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Buckingham Palace described the decision as “necessary censures,” signaling one of the deepest rifts within the royal family in decades. The question now is whether this move will be enough to shield the monarchy from the lingering fallout tied to Andrew’s past.

For over 15 years, Andrew, now 65, has been under scrutiny for his relationship with Epstein — controversy reignited recently following the publication of a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who accused the prince of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager.

Giuffre, who always maintained her account of events, tragically died by suicide earlier this year at age 41. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing and claims never to have met her.

In a statement released by Giuffre’s family, they hailed the King’s decision as “a moment of justice for an ordinary girl who displayed extraordinary courage.” Her brother, Sky Roberts, called it “a bittersweet day,” expressing both pride and sorrow that his sister was not alive to see this outcome.

“This is vindication,” Roberts said. “It’s an acknowledgment that we see her, we believe her, and we’re proud of her strength.”

Palace Statement: “Formal Process to Remove Titles”

Buckingham Palace issued a rare, sharply worded statement:

“His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles, and Honours of Prince Andrew.”

The statement continued:

“Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has provided him with legal protection to remain in residence; formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease, and he will move to alternative private accommodation.”

The palace noted that these actions are “deemed necessary,” even though Andrew continues to deny the allegations against him.

It is understood that Andrew will relocate to a smaller residence on the Sandringham estate, roughly 100 miles north of London, a property privately owned by the monarch. His new living arrangements will reportedly be privately funded by King Charles.

The Fall of a Prince

Andrew’s fall from grace has been long and public. Though he had voluntarily stepped back from royal duties in 2019 and relinquished several honorary titles earlier this year, the scandal continued to overshadow the royal family. Questions also persist about how he was able to fund a reported multimillion-dollar settlement with Giuffre in 2022 and maintain his lifestyle despite no longer being a working royal.

Public frustration intensified after it was revealed that Andrew paid just £1 million for Royal Lodge in 2003 and has since occupied the grand home on a symbolic “peppercorn rent.”

Even after this latest move, Andrew technically remains eighth in line to the throne. Removing him from the line of succession entirely would require legislation and approval from Commonwealth nations — a lengthy and politically delicate process.

Sources close to the palace indicate that rather than pursuing an act of Parliament to revoke Andrew’s title as Duke of York, the King will issue royal warrants to strip him of all peerages associated with York, Inverness, and Killyleagh. The decision also nullifies his remaining royal honors, including his knighthoods and positions within the Order of the Garter.

“Our Thoughts Remain with the Victims”

The palace statement concluded by expressing support for survivors of abuse:

“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.”

Virginia Giuffre, seen here holding a picture of herself as a teenager, took her own life earlier this year

Giuffre’s family vowed to continue pressing for accountability for other figures linked to Epstein. “Our sister never stopped fighting for justice, not only for herself but for countless survivors. Today is her victory,” the family said. “We will not rest until every abuser and enabler faces the same accountability.”

Calls for Legal Action Continue

The British anti-monarchy group Republic announced plans to pursue a private legal case against Andrew, citing allegations of sexual misconduct and corruption in public office.

“Titles mean nothing,” Republic’s chief executive said in a statement. “This isn’t accountability — it’s image management. The monarchy is protecting itself, not serving justice. Andrew should face the same legal process as anyone else.”

Earlier this week, King Charles faced public heckling during an appearance in northern England, where a protester shouted: “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?”

Family Adjustments

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Andrew’s daughters, will retain their royal titles, as they remain granddaughters of a sovereign under existing royal protocol established in 1917.

Sarah Ferguson, Andrew’s former wife and long-time resident of Royal Lodge, will also vacate the property and is said to be arranging her own living situation. The couple, who divorced in 1996 but continued to live together, share two daughters.

This is the first time in over a century that a member of the British royal family has been stripped of a princely title. The last instance occurred in 1917 when Prince Charles Edward lost his titles for siding with Germany during World War I.

As Andrew prepares to leave Royal Lodge, the monarchy faces another moment of reckoning — one that underscores how deeply the shadow of scandal can reach, even into Britain’s most storied institution.