Buckingham Palace has announced that King Charles has formally removed Prince Andrew’s royal titles and initiated the process to evict him from his Windsor residence, Royal Lodge. In an official statement issued Thursday, the palace confirmed that Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
The King’s decision ends Andrew’s decades-long residency at Royal Lodge, with formal notice served to surrender his lease. The palace said he will relocate to a property on the Sandringham estate, with future accommodation to be privately funded by the monarch. The statement also emphasized the King and Queen’s sympathies for “victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
Andrew’s removal follows years of controversy surrounding his association with Jeffrey Epstein and the sexual abuse allegations made by Virginia Giuffre, which he continues to deny. Sources said the move required legal and constitutional input, with the government consulted and senior royals — including the Prince of Wales — expressing full support.
The action officially removes Andrew’s titles of Prince, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Killyleagh, as well as his His Royal Highness style. His honors, including the Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order, are also rescinded. His daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their royal titles under King George V’s 1917 Letters Patent.
The decision comes amid growing scrutiny over Andrew’s 75-year lease on Royal Lodge, signed in 2003, which allowed him to live there rent-free apart from a symbolic “peppercorn” payment. Reports suggest the Crown Estate may owe compensation upon surrender of the lease, though remedial works could affect any payout.
Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson — who recently relinquished her Duchess of York title — will make separate housing arrangements. The King’s decisive move, royal commentators say, aims to restore public trust in the monarchy after years of reputational strain caused by Andrew’s “serious lapses in judgment.”
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