Tag: Prince Andrew

King Charles has stripped his brother, Prince Andrew, of his royal title and ordered him to vacate his longtime home, Royal Lodge, amid intensifying backlash over his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a statement released Thursday night, Buckingham Palace said Andrew will no longer be known as “Prince Andrew” but as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. It added that the King has “initiated a formal process to remove the style, titles and honours of Prince Andrew,” and that “formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease on Royal Lodge.” The Palace confirmed that Andrew will be relocated to a smaller residence on the Sandringham Estate, privately funded by King Charles. “These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” the Palace said, expressing solidarity with victims of “any and all forms of abuse.” Earlier this month, Andrew relinquished his remaining royal privileges, including the title Duke of York, after renewed scrutiny of his personal life following the publication of a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre. In the book, Giuffre repeated claims that she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times as a teenager—allegations he has always denied. Giuffre’s family reacted to the latest news by saying she had “brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.” Speaking on BBC Question Time, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy described the King’s decision as “a huge development and a powerful message to victims of grooming and sexual abuse.” She added, “This was a brave and necessary step for the monarchy.” Government officials confirmed they were consulted before the move and fully supported it. The decision marks a significant escalation in the fallout from Andrew’s association with Epstein, which has long overshadowed the royal family. Recently resurfaced 2011 emails suggested Andrew remained in contact with Epstein months after claiming to have cut ties with him. Questions have also been raised about how Andrew sustains his lifestyle despite no longer being a working royal. He has lived at Royal Lodge since 2004 under a 75-year lease with the Crown Estate, having paid over £8 million upfront for renovations in lieu of rent. The Grade II-listed estate includes a chapel lodge, six-bedroom cottage, and security housing. Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who reverted to her maiden name after he dropped the Duke of York title, is also expected to leave the property and make separate living arrangements. It was also revealed this week that Andrew hosted Epstein at Royal Lodge in 2006 during Princess Beatrice’s birthday party—two months after U.S. authorities issued an arrest warrant for Epstein for child sex offences. With Thursday’s announcement, the Palace appears intent on closing the most damaging chapter in recent royal history—officially ending the reign of “Prince Andrew” and leaving only Andrew Mountbatten Windsor behind.