Prince Andrew has been stripped of his “prince” title and is forcibly moving out of his Royal Lodge home amid the ongoing scandal regarding his ties to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
“His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew,” Buckingham Palace told Page Six in a statement Thursday.
“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 continued, “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.”
The title removal applies to Prince, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, Baron Killyleagh and “His Royal Highness.” The honors affected include his Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order.
According to BBC News, Andrew, 65, will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
The changes will go into effect immediately.
As for his living arrangements, Page Six is told Andrew will vacate the premises “as soon as practicable.”
We’re told he will relocate to a property on the private Sandringham estate, while his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson — who has lived with him at Royal Lodge since 2008 — will make her own arrangements. She will no longer maintain her Duchess of York title.
King Charles III’s decision, which we’re told has the support of his son Prince William, comes after “serious lapses of judgement” shown by Andrew, whose daughters — Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie — will retain their titles.
While Charles “initiated the process,” we’re told his brother “has not objected.”
Earlier this month, Andrew agreed that “continued accusations” against him and his connection to Epstein “distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal family.”
He wrote in a statement, “I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.”
However, Andrew added, “With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.”
While Andrew previously agreed to no longer use his titles and honors, what is now taking place is a formal removal process, we’re told.
Andrew, notably, was stripped of his military titles, royal patronages and the use of the “His Royal Highness” style in 2022, three years after stepping back from his royal duties after a headline-making interview regarding his ties to Epstein.
In 2021, Virginia Giuffre — who died by suicide in April at the age of 41 — sued Andrew for sexual assault, which he denied. They settled out of court the following year.
There is a renewed interest in Andrew’s relationship with Epstein due to the recent release of Guiffre’s posthumous memoir, “Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice.”
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