Buckingham Palace has taken its most sweeping action yet against Prince Andrew, announcing Thursday that King Charles has removed his brother’s remaining titles and honours and will force
him to vacate his longtime residence, Royal Lodge. The decision follows weeks of mounting public and political pressure over Andrew’s long-scrutinized ties to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement, the palace said Andrew has been formally instructed to surrender the lease on Royal Lodge, the sprawling Windsor estate he has occupied since 2003. He will relocate to alternative private accommodation. Going forward, he will be known simply as **Andrew Mountbatten Windsor**, losing the style of “prince” that he has held since birth.
The move comes shortly after Andrew relinquished his Duke of York title earlier this month amid renewed scrutiny of his association with Epstein and allegations by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused him of sexually abusing her as a minor—claims he has consistently denied.
“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” the palace said, adding that the King and Queen “extend their thoughts and utmost sympathies to victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
A rare step in Royal history
Stripping a royal of their princely title is almost unheard of; the last comparable case dates back to 1919, when Prince Ernest Augustus lost his British titles for supporting Germany during the First World War.
The announcement broke during a taping of the BBC’s Question Time, prompting loud applause from the studio audience as the details were read aloud.
Renewed questions and public outcry
Pressure on the palace intensified in recent weeks after newly disclosed emails suggested Andrew stayed in touch with Epstein longer than he had publicly acknowledged. The revelations were followed by the publication of Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, Nobody’s Girl, which detailed three alleged encounters with the prince. Giuffre died by suicide in April.
Although Andrew settled a civil lawsuit with Giuffre in 2022—paying millions of dollars without admitting wrongdoing—the scandal has continued to shadow the royal family. His disastrous 2019 BBC interview, intended to rebut the allegations, only deepened doubts about his conduct.
Giuffre’s brother, Skye Roberts, called the King’s action a symbolic victory: “Today, an ordinary American girl… brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.”
A growing crisis for Charles
While Charles had previously kept some distance from the controversy, public anger surged this week after a man heckled the King during an engagement at Lichfield Cathedral, shouting questions about Andrew and Epstein. The incident circulated widely online and dominated headlines, prompting renewed calls for decisive action.
Craig Prescott, a constitutional expert at Royal Holloway, called the situation “the first genuine royal crisis” of Charles’s reign. “This will be remembered as a significant test for the monarchy,” he said.
Titles removed — but still in the succession
Despite losing his honours, Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne. Removing him from the line of succession would require an act of Parliament—as well as consent from the 14 Commonwealth realms where Charles is head of state.
Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their titles because they are children of a sovereign’s son.
Along with the loss of his princely designation, Andrew is no longer entitled to be styled His Royal Highness, nor will he retain the titles Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, or Baron Killyleagh. He also forfeits honours including the Order of the Garter and the Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order.
What comes next for Royal Lodge
Andrew secured Royal Lodge on a 75-year lease in 2003, after agreeing to spend millions of pounds refurbishing the property. Since then, he has paid only a symbolic “peppercorn rent.” His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who has been living with him in the 30-room residence, will also need to relocate.
He is expected to move to a property on the King’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk and will receive private financial assistance from Charles as arrangements are finalized. Photo by Carfax2, Wikimedia commons.