Buckingham Palace confirmed Thursday that Prince Andrew has been formally stripped of his royal titles and ordered to vacate Royal Lodge, his longtime Windsor residence. The decision, authorized by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, marks the most decisive step yet in distancing the monarchy from Andrew’s association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew’s downfall has been steady since 2022, when he gave up his military affiliations, royal patronages, and the title “His Royal Highness.”
The statement from the Palace said that “Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, ” with the announcement formalizing the removal of all royal styles, titles, and honors — including his designation as Duke of York. The Palace added that, “Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation … These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. 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 decision to remove Andrew’s titles also brings an end to his controversial residence at Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion on the Crown Estate grounds near Windsor Castle. The property had long been a point of contention, as documents revealed that Andrew was paying an annual rent of “one peppercorn (if demanded) per annum,” despite having stepped back from public life in 2019.
Andrew’s 75-year lease on the estate — signed in 2003 — involved an upfront payment of roughly 8 million pounds (around $10.5 million), part of which was used to renovate the aging property. The arrangement, once described as “cast iron,” had provided him with legal protection to remain in residence. The palace said that protection has now been lifted and that “formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease.”
Royal Lodge holds symbolic importance within the family — it was once home to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who lived there until her death in 2002. Andrew will relocate to a private residence on the royal family’s Sandringham estate, roughly 100 miles north of London. His daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their titles.
The move from the Palace follows years of controversy over Andrew’s ties to Epstein and accusations from Virginia Giuffre, who said she was trafficked to have sex with the prince while underage. Andrew has repeatedly denied the allegations, though he reached a confidential settlement with Giuffre in 2022. Giuffre, who died by suicide earlier this year, detailed her claims in a posthumous memoir. Public anger intensified following the book’s release, prompting the palace to act. Two weeks earlier, Andrew acknowledged that “the continued accusations about me” had “distracted from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.” He added, “As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.
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