Today's News: Prince Andrew Stripped of Royal Titles and Evicted from Royal Residence

King Charles III has initiated a formal process to strip Prince Andrew of his remaining royal titles amidst continued scrutiny over Andrew’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Terrence Dorsey

Oct 30, 2025

Photo: Toby Melville/Reuters

Date: October 30, 2025
Summary: King Charles III has initiated a formal process to strip Prince Andrew of his remaining royal titles and evict him from his Royal Lodge residence. This unprecedented move comes amidst continued scrutiny over Andrew’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and persistent allegations of sexual abuse, which Andrew steadfastly denies. He will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and will relocate to a privately funded property on the Sandringham Estate, with Buckingham Palace emphasizing its sympathies for victims of abuse.

Sources

Key Points

King Charles III has initiated a formal process to remove Prince Andrew’s “Style, Titles and Honours,” meaning he will no longer be known as Prince Andrew but as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
Prince Andrew will be evicted from his current residence, Royal Lodge, and will move to alternative private accommodation, understood to be a property on the Sandringham Estate.
The decision is directly linked to the ongoing scandal surrounding Andrew’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and persistent allegations of sexual abuse, particularly from Virginia Giuffre.
Buckingham Palace stated that these “censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.”
The palace also conveyed “Their Majesties’” utmost sympathies to “the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
Andrew’s new accommodation on the Sandringham Estate will be privately funded by King Charles.
Many sources highlight the unprecedented nature of these actions for a senior member of the modern British royal family.

Unique Highlights

The New York Times specifies that King Charles will send “royal warrants” to the Lord Chancellor to remove the titles, and that this action, pushing the boundaries of royal prerogative, will not require an act of Parliament. It also compares the severity of the downgrade to King Edward VIII’s abdication in 1936, noting that Prince Harry retained his title after stepping back from duties.
CNN highlights that public anger intensified following revelations that Andrew paid $1 million for Royal Lodge in 2003 and only a “peppercorn rent” since, and reported a protester heckled King Charles with “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?”
NBC News states that the “peppercorn (if demanded) per annum” rent arrangement was revealed by a Freedom of Information request by The Times newspaper. It also details Giuffre’s posthumous memoir claims, including an “orgy” involving “eight other young girls” who appeared to be under 18. It mentions that Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their titles.
The Wall Street Journal provides a comprehensive list of all titles Andrew will lose: Prince, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, Baron Killyleagh, and the style “His Royal Highness.” It also notes he will lose his Order of the Garter, the last formal expulsion from which was Emperor Hirohito in 1941. The article reports that British police are looking into claims Andrew tried to get a police officer to investigate Giuffre and that emails between Andrew and Epstein “continue to dribble out.”
Fox News notes that Andrew announced he was relinquishing his Duke of York title on October 17, following the August publication of an unauthorized biography, “Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York.”
BBC states “it is understood” that Andrew did not object to the King’s decision to remove his titles.
The Guardian clarifies that the King had the support of the Prince of Wales in the decision. It also details that the removal process applies to the titles of Prince, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, Baron Killyleagh, the style His Royal Highness, and the honours of Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order. It explains that the King is using royal prerogative to avoid Parliament spending time on the matter and that the changes to Andrew’s titles do not apply retrospectively.
The Telegraph reports that Republic, an anti-monarchy campaign group, has instructed lawyers to investigate a private prosecution over allegations of sexual assault, corruption, and misconduct in public office.

Contrasting Details

Formal Removal of Duke of York Title: CNN states that “It requires an act of parliament to formally remove Andrew’s title as Duke of York.” However, The New York Times and The Guardian indicate that King Charles is removing the Duke of York title as part of the current formal process using “royal warrants” and his “royal prerogative,” specifically to avoid an act of Parliament. Fox News and BBC mention that Andrew already relinquished his Duke of York title on October 17th, suggesting it was a voluntary act prior to this formal removal process. The Wall Street Journal lists Duke of York among the titles Andrew will lose as part of the current “nuclear option.”

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