Prince Andrew Is Losing His Title and His Home

LONDON — King Charles III has stripped his younger brother, Prince Andrew, of all royal titles and ordered him to leave his longtime home on the Windsor estate, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday — the latest and most severe consequence of the scandal surrounding Andrew’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor,” the Palace said in a statement, confirming that Charles had begun the formal process to revoke all of his brother’s titles and styles. Andrew has also been instructed to vacate his residence on the grounds of Windsor Castle and will relocate “to alternative private accommodation” as soon as possible.

The announcement followed an outpouring of public anger after new sexual-assault allegations were raised by one of Epstein’s main accusers against the 65-year-old duke, who has consistently denied all accusations.

“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” the Palace statement said. “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain, with the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”

The move comes just days after the posthumous publication of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, in which the American woman repeated in disturbing detail her claims that she had been trafficked to have sex with Andrew three times — twice when she was only 17.

It is understood that Andrew did not object to the King’s decision, and that the British government was consulted beforehand. Giuffre died by suicide in April at age 41, while Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

Giuffre’s family welcomed the announcement, telling the BBC:

“Today she declares a victory. An ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family has brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.”

Andrew, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, has repeatedly denied Giuffre’s allegations but agreed in 2022 to pay her millions of dollars in a civil settlement to end her lawsuit.

Public Outrage and Renewed Pressure

Public anger has been reignited in recent weeks. The Times revealed that Andrew had been paying only a nominal rent for two decades on Royal Lodge, his lavish Windsor residence, under a highly favorable 2003 lease with the Crown Estate.

Efforts to remove him from the property reportedly accelerated as King Charles’s son and heir, Prince William, and his family prepared to move into a nearby home.

The BBC also reported that Andrew had hosted Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell — now imprisoned for sex trafficking — and disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein at Royal Lodge in 2006 during a birthday celebration for his daughter Princess Beatrice.

During a royal engagement earlier this week, King Charles was heckled by a member of the public shouting, “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?” — a sign of the mounting public frustration surrounding the case.

The End of Royal Lodge Era

Andrew had initially resisted leaving Royal Lodge, reportedly insisting he would only move out if allowed to relocate to Frogmore Cottage, the former home of his nephew Prince Harry and his wife Meghan. He was also said to have demanded that his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, be permitted to move into Adelaide Cottage once it is vacated by Prince William’s family.

It was confirmed Thursday that Andrew will instead move to the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, where his living arrangements will be privately funded by King Charles. Ferguson will make her own separate plans.

His daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their royal titles.

A Historic Break

The stripping of royal titles from a senior member of the royal family is an extraordinary and almost unprecedented step in modern British history. The move underscores King Charles’s determination to preserve the integrity of the monarchy and to distance the institution from scandal.

For Prince Andrew, it marks the final fall from grace — from a once-prominent royal figure to a private citizen stripped of titles, honours, and public duties.