King Charles has decided to strip his brother Andrew of his remaining titles and evict him from his royal residence, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday. This action follows mounting pressure stemming from Andrew’s association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a formal notice served to Andrew, he has been instructed to surrender the lease of his mansion, Royal Lodge, and relocate to alternative private accommodation. Going forward, Andrew will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and not as a prince.
The decision to remove Andrew from Royal Lodge came after he voluntarily relinquished the title of Duke of York earlier this month due to his connection with Epstein and allegations made by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, one of Epstein’s accusers. Furthermore, the King has revoked Andrew’s prince title, a status he held since birth as the child of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Despite Andrew’s denial of the allegations against him, Buckingham Palace emphasized the necessity of these actions. The palace expressed solidarity with the victims of abuse and reiterated its commitment to supporting them.
The move to strip Andrew of his titles is a rare occurrence in British royal history, with the last instance dating back to 1919. The announcement was made during a recording of the BBC’s Question Time, where the audience applauded the King’s decision.
Andrew’s public image faced further scrutiny following revelations of continued contact with Epstein and the release of a memoir by Giuffre detailing alleged encounters with him. Andrew previously stepped back from royal duties after a controversial BBC interview in 2019.
Despite being eighth in line to the throne, Andrew’s removal from the line of succession would require parliamentary action and the consent of the Commonwealth nations. Buckingham Palace confirmed that his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their titles.
The King’s proactive approach in removing Andrew’s titles reflects a modernizing stance on the monarchy. The transition process is expected to be deliberated between Buckingham Palace and Westminster to ensure a swift resolution.
Andrew, with the support of his brother, is anticipated to move to a property on the King’s Sandringham estate following his eviction from the Royal Lodge.