In an extraordinary move, King Charles III has stripped his brother Prince Andrew of all remaining royal titles and honors and ordered his eviction from Royal Lodge, amid renewed scrutiny over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Buckingham Palace confirmed on Thursday that the king had “initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honors of Prince Andrew.” The decision means Andrew will henceforth be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, without the title of “prince.” He will also be relocated to private accommodation, reportedly on the king’s Sandringham estate.
The move marks the first time in over a century that a British royal has been stripped of a princely title. The last such case occurred in 1919, when Prince Ernest Augustus lost his British title for siding with Germany during World War I, according to news reports.
Pressure had been mounting on Buckingham Palace after Andrew relinquished his Duke of York title earlier this month, following the release of Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, Nobody’s Girl, which renewed allegations of sexual abuse. Giuffre, who died earlier this year, claimed she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 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.”
Giuffre’s brother, Skye Roberts, praised the move, saying, “Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.”
Andrew, 65, has long denied the allegations but withdrew from royal duties after a disastrous 2019 BBC interview. In 2022, he paid millions in an out-of-court settlement to Giuffre, acknowledging her suffering as a victim of sex trafficking but admitting no wrongdoing.
The king’s decision removes all Andrew’s royal ranks and honours, including His Royal Highness, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Killyleagh, as well as his appointments to the Order of the Garter and Royal Victorian Order.
Andrew is expected to receive private financial support from his brother as he transitions to life outside royal circles.
