King Charles formally strips Prince Andrew of royal titles and Windsor residence

UNITED KINGDOM: Prince Andrew has been formally stripped of his royal titles, honours, and rights to his Windsor residence in a decision announced by Buckingham Palace on 31 October, 2025.

King Charles III initiated the process, which means the former Duke of York will now be referred to as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The palace confirmed that he will vacate the 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor and move to a private residence on the Sandringham estate.

According to the palace, the decision was taken with the support of the Prince of Wales, and Andrew did not object to the process.

The action follows renewed public and political pressure on the monarchy amid persistent concerns regarding Andrew’s past friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegations made against him by the late Virginia Giuffre.

Giuffre, who died by suicide in April 2025 at the age of 41, had accused Andrew of sexually assaulting her on three occasions when she was 17. Andrew has consistently denied the allegations. In 2022, he settled a civil lawsuit with Giuffre for a reported £12 million, without admitting liability.

In her posthumous memoir, recently published in extracts by The Guardian, Giuffre alleged that Andrew “believed that having sex with me was his birthright”.

In response to the palace’s announcement, Giuffre’s family stated: “Today, she declares a victory,” calling her actions a display of “extraordinary courage” that brought “accountability” to a British royal.

Buckingham Palace noted: “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.”

The statement also underscored that the monarchs’ “utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse”.

Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will also vacate the Royal Lodge, and is expected to make separate living arrangements. The king will privately fund Andrew’s accommodation at Sandringham, with other income sources described as a private matter.

The formal removal includes the relinquishment of all of Andrew’s styles and peerage titles: Prince, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Killyleagh.

Additionally, honours including the Order of the Garter and the Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order have been withdrawn. Andrew ceased using the HRH style in 2022, but this had not been formally rescinded until now.

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie retain their titles under the provisions of King George V’s 1917 letters patent, as daughters of the son of a monarch.

The king is understood to have acted following concerns over public trust in the monarchy and what palace sources described as “serious lapses of judgment” on Andrew’s part.

Although Andrew had announced on 17 October that he would voluntarily give up the Duke of York title and honours, pressure continued to build.

The House of Commons public accounts committee recently requested transparency on his living arrangements, questioning the minimal rent he paid for the Royal Lodge.

The dukedom is part of the peerage and could only be abolished through an Act of Parliament. However, the king opted for a royal warrant to remove the titles from the peerage roll, avoiding legislative entanglement amid broader national issues.

This move reportedly had the support of relevant government authorities.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy described it as a “brave, important and right step” that sends a “powerful message” to victims of abuse.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, while affirming public intolerance for sexual abuse allegations.

Democratic congressman Suhas Subramanyam, who has advocated for Prince Andrew to testify before a US Congressional committee, reiterated his call.

He said: “Prince Andrew has information about Epstein’s crimes… he must do more than just give up titles.”

Subramanyam confirmed that his committee would continue pursuing “files and all the evidence” related to Epstein, regardless of the status or wealth of those involved.

Giuffre had alleged she was trafficked to Andrew at three locations: Ghislaine Maxwell’s London residence, Epstein’s New York mansion, and his private island, Little St James. Andrew has categorically denied the allegations and stated he has no recollection of meeting her.

While Andrew has maintained his innocence throughout, the decision by King Charles signals a clear attempt to draw a line between the institution of the monarchy and the personal controversies surrounding its members.