A statement from Buckingham Palace made on the evening of October 30th says: “His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.
Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. 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. 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 statement is seen as a response to pressure from the public, media and politicians regarding Andrew’s position, in light of the allegations against him by Virginia Giuffre in her posthumous autobiography.
Andrew has consistently denied allegations regarding his relationship with Guiffre and with convicted America sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but a series of revelations in the media has made his situation increasingly untenable, and he has already been stripped of titles such as Duke of York and removed from many charitable appointments.
In recent weeks questions over Andrew’s finances, his tenancy in the 30-room Royal Lodge and his continued refusal to co-operate with investigations into the late Jeffrey Epstein have put the Royal family under increasing pressure, diverting attention from their other activities.
Embarrassment
It has been announced that the former Prince will now be know simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, and that he will live in the Royal Estate in Sandringham, Norfolk.
Virginia Guiffre’s brother has welcomed the move, but called for further investigation of Andrew’s involvement with Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking on the BBC’s Today programme as confidant of King Charles, Jonathan Dimbleby described Andrew as “arrogant, boorish, entitled – an embarrassment for a long time”, and called the King’s action a “culmination”, referring to Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, published this month, and photos of Andrew with Jeffrey Epstein in New York from December 2010, plus subsequent emails.
“He said he had gone there [New York] to break with – he was lying,” says Dimbleby. “He continued the relationship.”
As a reminder, emails recently re-emerged showing Andrew emailed Epstein in February 2011 – after he went to New York to “end” his relationship with Epstein.
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