The King is initiating a formal process to remove Prince Andrew’s titles and honours. Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement that a notice has been served on the former Duke of York to surrender his lease at the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
The King and Queen said the scandal-ridden Royal will now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. They added that their sympathies continue to remain with the victims of abuse. The decision to formally remove Andrew of his titles and honours reportedly has the support of the wider Royal Family, including Prince William. Meanwhile, Andrew’s children, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie, will retain their titles as they are daugters of the son of a Sovereign.
The statement said: “His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.
“Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. 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.”
It is understood that Andrew did not object after King Charles initiated the process to remove his titles and will now move to a property on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Any future accommodation will be privately funded by the King.
Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch has praised the King’s “very difficult” decision to strip his brother of his titles. She said on LBC Radio: I think that the King has clearly felt that this is the right decision for the royal family.
“It must have been a very difficult thing for him to have done. I mean, having to do that to your own brother. But the standards and expectations in society now are very high. People expect to see the very highest levels of integrity.”
Andrew has lived rent-free in the lavish 30-room mansion for over 20 years. However, there has been increasing calls for him to vacate the property, including from MPs, following revelations about his relationship with the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has come under intense scrutiny following accusations from Virginia Giuffre that she was trafficked to engage in sex with the prince while she was underage. He has denied the allegations.
The efforts to contain the scandal have failed, with MPs demanding an explanation of his living arrangements at the Royal Lodge. They described the allegations made against him as “serious and disturbing” on Thursday (October 30).
Politicians on the Public Accounts Committee wrote to the Crown Estate to pressure the disgraced royal to move out of the property. The firmly-worded letter asked the Crown Estate to answer a list of 14 questions, which included whether the taxpayer is getting the best value for money from the current occupant of Royal Lodge, given that he is “no longer serving as a working member of the Royal Family or using their Royal titles, excepting that of Prince.”
MPs said: “We are concerned as to whether the lease arrangements for Royal Lodge are, in light of recent developments and changes in the responsibilities of Prince Andrew, achieving the best value for money.”
