Two weeks after Prince Andrew announced his decision to step back from using his titles and honors, including the Duke of York, King Charles III has taken further action by formally removing these honors, including his title of prince, and terminating the lease that allowed him to remain at Royal Lodge. Below is the full statement from Buckingham Palace.
© Mark CuthbertThe full Buckingham Palace statement:
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.
© Karwai TangFormal 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.
Behind the decision:
Charles III has finally bowed to pressure, and calls for decisive action intensified following revelations about Andrew’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
While two weeks ago the prince himself issued a statement renouncing the use of his titles, it is now the king who has taken control of the situation, making a decisive move that goes beyond the courtesy previously extended to his brother.
© Max Mumby/IndigoThis is not merely about him choosing not to use his titles, it is about removing the title of prince entirely, a birthright he would otherwise retain. Unlike Andrew’s voluntary announcement, the king’s decision initiates a formal legislative process that must be approved by Parliament and enjoy public backing, a scenario that seems likely given recent polls.
The decision is unprecedented but widely demanded, as is the question of his residence. Andrew lived at the grand Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion far beyond the scope of his public role, especially since withdrawing from public life in 2019.
© Max Mumby/IndigoCharles III had long wanted his brother to vacate the property, but Andrew’s lease with The Crown Estate, which manages royal properties, legally protected him until 2078. The public was shocked to learn that Andrew had been paying a symbolic rent, probably just £1 per month, for 22 years under a completely legal arrangement.
It had been known for days that Andrew was finally negotiating his departure from Royal Lodge. The big question now is where the king’s brother will move. While the statement does not specify his next residence, British media reports suggest he will relocate to a property on the Sandringham estate, while his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will seek alternative accommodation herself.
© Tim GrahamThe next steps:
The first move by Charles III is believed to be underway, involving the issuing of royal orders to the Lord Chancellor to remove the Duke of York title, the princely style, and the “Royal Highness” treatment. According to the Daily Mail, Andrew has raised no objections.
These changes will not affect Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. The lease termination at Royal Lodge is expected to proceed as quickly as possible. Palace sources emphasized that the decision was made solely by the king in consultation with his advisors, without any external pressure from the government or from Prince William.
© Justin Goff PhotosThis refutes claims by BBC journalist Emily Maitlis, who suggested that the Prince of Wales had allegedly given his cousins an ultimatum regarding their father’s residence.
On the contrary, the decision does not affect Beatrice and Eugenie, who remain Princesses of York. For Charles III, it was important that any measures against his brother left his daughters’ positions intact, given their significance to the monarchy, even though they are not full-time working members of the royal family.
