Epstein Files: King Charles Strips Prince Andrew of Royal Title, Orders Him Out of Windsor Home

Britain’s Prince Andrew, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, has officially lost his royal titles and will be forced to move out of his residence at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday, October 30.

The move comes as the 64-year-old royal continues to face intense pressure over his past relationship with the late American financier and convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said that King Charles had “initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours” of his younger brother. “Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor,” the statement read. The decision marks a tougher stance than earlier this month, when the palace said Andrew would stop using some titles, including Duke of York.

The palace said the decision was made “notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” and added that King Charles and Queen Camilla’s “thoughts and utmost sympathies remain with the victims and survivors of all forms of abuse.”

In addition to losing his titles, Andrew has been ordered to vacate his longtime home, the 30-room Royal Lodge, located near Windsor Castle. The property, owned by the Crown Estate, was leased to him for a symbolic rent of “one peppercorn per year,” according to a report by *The Times* newspaper. Buckingham Palace confirmed that formal notice has now been served for him to surrender the lease.

Andrew is expected to move into a smaller home on the royal family’s Sandringham estate. His daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their royal titles.

The fallout comes amid renewed public attention following the release of a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who had accused Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was 17. Giuffre, who died earlier this year, alleged that she was forced to have sex with the prince on multiple occasions while under Epstein’s control.

Andrew reached a confidential settlement with Giuffre in February 2022 after she filed a civil case against him in a New York court. While the prince paid an undisclosed sum, he did not admit wrongdoing and has consistently denied the allegations, claiming he never met Giuffre and that a photo showing them together is fake.

The decision to strip Andrew of his titles and home highlights King Charles’s effort to protect the reputation of the monarchy, which has faced increasing criticism over Andrew’s scandal and the handling of related allegations.