Khaberni - Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III has decided to strip his brother Prince Andrew of all his royal titles, including the title of "Prince," and expel him from his royal residence at "Royal Lodge" in Windsor, in an unprecedented move within the British royal family.
A statement issued by the royal palace clarified that Andrew, aged 65, will henceforth be known as "Andrew Mountbatten Windsor" and will no longer be known as a prince, after having previously relinquished the title of "Duke of York" earlier this month.
This decision follows increasing pressure on the royal household to evict the prince from his residence at "Royal Lodge" after he gave up his use of the Duke of York title earlier in October due to his association with the late American businessman Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in jail in 2019 before his trial for committing sex crimes.
The prince's popularity declined after allegations by Virginia Roberts Giuffre (one of Epstein's victims) against him, but the king went further than just expelling him from his residence, stripping him of the prince title he had held since birth as the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The royal statement indicated that Andrew has been officially notified to relinquish his lease of "Royal Lodge” and that he will move to an alternative private accommodation. The palace considered these actions to be "disciplinary and necessary" despite the prince's continual denial of the allegations against him.
The statement added, "Their Majesties (the King and Queen) would like to clarify that their hearts and deep sympathy were and will always be with the victims of all forms of abuse and the survivors."
Andrew had issued a statement confirming that his decision to step down from his titles came after consultations with the king and family members, noting that the ongoing controversy around him damages the work of the royal family, and that he places the interests of the family and the nation above all else.
This step is one of the most stringent actions taken against a member of the royal family in modern British history, and comes at a time when the king continues his treatment for cancer.
