King Charles strips Prince Andrew of titles and residence amid Epstein fallout

King Charles III has stripped his younger brother, Prince Andrew, of all remaining royal titles and ordered him to vacate his Windsor residence, following mounting pressure over his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Buckingham Palace confirmed on Thursday that Andrew, 65, will henceforth be known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, relinquishing the title of prince he has held since birth. He will also be required to leave the Royal Lodge, his long-time residence near Windsor Castle.

The decision comes just weeks after Andrew gave up his title as Duke of York, amid renewed public outrage sparked by the publication of Nobody’s Girl — the posthumous memoir of Epstein survivor Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who died earlier this year. The book detailed her alleged sexual encounters with Andrew when she was 17, reigniting scrutiny of his past denials.

In a rare statement, the Palace said the king’s actions were necessary “notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” adding that the royal family’s “thoughts and utmost sympathies remain with the victims and survivors of all forms of abuse.”

The move marks one of the most severe disciplinary actions within the modern British monarchy. The last instance of a royal being stripped of a princely title was in 1919, when Prince Ernest Augustus lost his British honours for supporting Germany during the First World War.

Giuffre’s brother, Skye Roberts, hailed the king’s decision as a vindication of his sister’s courage. “An ordinary American girl from an ordinary family brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary bravery,” he told the BBC.

Public anger had intensified earlier this month after leaked emails revealed Andrew maintained contact with Epstein longer than he had previously admitted. The correspondence, followed by the release of Giuffre’s memoir, renewed calls for the monarchy to take decisive action.

Andrew has long denied any wrongdoing, though he stepped down from royal duties in 2019 after a disastrous BBC interview in which he attempted to defend his reputation. He later reached a multimillion-pound out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in 2022, without admitting liability.

While the king had previously kept his distance from the scandal, recent public heckling during an appearance at Lichfield Cathedral, where a man shouted questions about Andrew and Epstein, brought fresh embarrassment to the monarchy.

With Thursday’s announcement, Andrew loses all remaining honours, including the Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order, and can no longer be addressed as His Royal Highness. His former titles including Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Killyleagh have all been withdrawn.

Once celebrated as a dashing royal and naval hero for his service as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War, Andrew’s image has since been tarnished by years of controversy surrounding questionable business dealings and personal associations.

He is expected to move to a smaller property on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, with reports suggesting he will receive private financial support from the king. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who shared the Royal Lodge with him, will also be required to relocate.

The move marks the most dramatic royal demotion since 1936, when King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry American socialite Wallis Simpson, a historical echo now revisited in an era where royal accountability faces new public scrutiny.

With agency inputs