King Charles strips Prince Andrew of all royal titles amid renewed Epstein controversy
In a stunning and unprecedented royal decree, King Charles has stripped his younger brother, Prince Andrew, of all royal titles, including the use of “Prince”, effectively erasing his formal identity within the monarchy.
Buckingham Palace confirmed the move on Thursday, describing it as part of a “formal process” initiated by the King under his Royal Prerogative. The 65-year-old will henceforth be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, marking the most severe demotion of a royal family member in over a century.
“His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew,” the palace announced. “Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.”
The decision comes amid renewed scrutiny of Andrew’s ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and resurfacing allegations that have dogged him for years. Although he continues to deny all wrongdoing, the move signals a decisive break by the royal family to distance itself from controversy.
Alongside the loss of his royal styling and honours, Andrew has also been ordered to surrender his lease at Royal Lodge, his long-time residence in Windsor. Buckingham Palace confirmed that formal notice has been served to vacate the property, ending his decades-long association with one of the estate’s most prestigious homes.
“His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence,” the palace statement said. “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.”
The King’s decision — supported by other senior royals, including the Prince of Wales — has been described by insiders as a moment of “final reckoning” for the Duke of York, who has lived under a cloud of scandal since his disastrous 2019 BBC interview about his friendship with Epstein.
Palace officials emphasised that the decision was guided by moral responsibility as well as public trust. “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 statement concluded.
Andrew’s titles as Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Killyleagh have all been removed, along with his prestigious honours — including the Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order.
The last time a royal was formally stripped of titles was in 1917, when Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, lost his British honours after siding with Germany during the First World War. Even King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in 1936, retained the courtesy title “Duke of Windsor”.
This latest action by King Charles therefore marks a historic and deeply symbolic severing — one that underscores the monarchy’s determination to modernise and uphold moral accountability.
Royal sources suggest Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their titles in accordance with existing royal law. However, their father’s removal from the fold will inevitably cast a shadow over their future roles within the monarchy.
The announcement follows renewed public interest in Andrew’s past following the posthumous memoir of Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein victim who died earlier this year. In the book, Giuffre claimed Andrew “believed having sex with me was his birthright,” describing encounters arranged when she was 17. Andrew has consistently denied these claims and previously settled Giuffre’s civil lawsuit in 2022 for an undisclosed sum, without admitting liability.
Andrew had already stepped back from royal duties in 2019, but until now, he had retained his titles. This week’s decision by his brother marks the ultimate fall from grace — a transformation from prince to private citizen.
As the once-proud Duke of York retreats from public life, his new name — Andrew Mountbatten Windsor — stands as a stark reminder of how far he has fallen from royal favour.