King Charles Removes Prince Andrew’s Titles and Evicts Him from Royal Residence

According to Rokna, citing CNN, King Charles has taken the extraordinary step of beginning the process to remove his brother Prince Andrew’s royal titles and evict him from his residence on the royal estate in Windsor — the most dramatic effort yet to contain the scandal over the disgraced royal’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Described by Buckingham Palace as “necessary censures,” the move marks the most serious rift within the British royal family in decades. The question now is whether the King’s action will be enough to prevent Andrew’s links to Epstein from further damaging the monarchy’s reputation.

At 65, Prince Andrew has faced more than 15 years of controversy over his friendship with Epstein, renewed recently after the release of a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager. Giuffre — whom Andrew insists he never met — died by suicide in April at the age of 41. The prince has repeatedly denied all accusations against him.

Giuffre’s family released a statement on Thursday saying: “Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family has brought down a British prince through her truth and extraordinary courage.” Her brother, Sky Roberts, told CNN that it was both a “joyous and sad day” for the family.

According to Buckingham Palace, Andrew will lose his royal residence and revert to the family surname. “Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor,” the statement said. “His lease on Royal Lodge has, until now, provided legal protection for him to remain there. Formal notice has been issued to surrender the lease, and he will move to other private accommodation. These censures are considered necessary, despite his continued denial of the allegations.”

Andrew is expected to relocate to a privately funded residence on the King’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk, roughly 100 miles north of London. Royal Lodge, located within Windsor Great Park, is part of the Crown Estate, which manages royal properties on behalf of the British government.

Palace officials reportedly acted because, while Andrew continues to deny all accusations, they concluded that he had shown serious lapses in judgment. Earlier this month, Andrew voluntarily stopped using his royal titles, but the decision failed to quiet the ongoing criticism or explain how he managed to pay a multimillion-dollar settlement to Giuffre in 2022 despite no longer being a working royal.

Public anger deepened last week after reports revealed that Andrew paid just $1 million for the 30-room Royal Lodge in 2003 and had since paid only a symbolic rent, “if demanded,” under the terms of his lease.

Although he has now lost his titles, Andrew remains eighth in line to the British throne. That status could only be changed through legislation requiring approval from Commonwealth countries, a lengthy process last used when Edward VIII abdicated in 1936.

Rather than using parliamentary action, King Charles will issue royal warrants to formally remove Andrew’s peerages, including the titles Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Killyleagh. Andrew will also lose his knighthoods and honours, including the Order of the Garter and the Royal Victorian Order. The changes take immediate effect.

Buckingham Palace added that “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with the victims and survivors of all forms of abuse.”

Sky Roberts said the King’s decision validated his sister’s long fight for justice. “She always said only one of us is telling the truth, and I know that’s me,” he said. “We’re incredibly proud of her. This is a moment of recognition — an acknowledgment that she was believed.”

Giuffre’s family vowed to continue seeking accountability for others linked to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. “Our sister never stopped fighting for justice for herself and for other survivors,” their statement said. “We will not rest until all abusers and enablers face the same accountability.”

Meanwhile, anti-monarchy group Republic announced plans to launch a private prosecution against Andrew for alleged sexual offenses and misconduct in public office. The group’s chief executive, Graham Smith, said, “Losing titles is not justice. Andrew must face the law like anyone else.”

Despite Thursday’s developments, Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their titles as daughters of a sovereign’s son, in accordance with rules established in 1917. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who shared the Royal Lodge residence for two decades, will also move out and is arranging new accommodations.

It is understood that the British government was consulted on the King’s decision and supports the move. The last time a prince was stripped of his title was more than a century ago, when Prince Charles Edward lost the title of Duke of Albany under the Titles Deprivation Act of 1917 for fighting for Germany during World War I.