The King is initiating a formal process to remove Prince Andrew’s titles and honours. Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement that a notice has been served on the former Duke of York to surrender his lease at the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
The King and Queen said the scandal-ridden Royal will now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. They added that their sympathies remain with the victims of abuse. Meanwhile, Andrew’s children, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie, will retain their titles.
The statement said: “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.”
It is understood that Andrew did not object after the King initiated the process to remove his titles and will now move to a property on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Any future accommodation will be privately funded by the King.
Andrew has lived rent-free in the lavish 30-room mansion for over 20 years. However, there has been increasing calls for him to vacate the property, including from MPs, following revelations about his relationship with the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has come under intense scrutiny following accusations from Virginia Giuffre that she was trafficked to engage in sex with the prince while she was underage. He has denied the allegations.
The efforts to contain the scandal have failed, with MPs demanding an explanation of his living arrangements at the Royal Lodge. They described the allegations made against him as “serious and disturbing” on Thursday (October 30).
Politicians on the Public Accounts Committee wrote to the Crown Estate to pressure the disgraced royal to move out of the property. The firmly-worded letter asked the Crown Estate to answer a list of 14 questions, which included whether the taxpayer is getting the best value for money from the current occupant of Royal Lodge, given that he is “no longer serving as a working member of the Royal Family or using their Royal titles, excepting that of Prince.”
MPs said: “We are concerned as to whether the lease arrangements for Royal Lodge are, in light of recent developments and changes in the responsibilities of Prince Andrew, achieving the best value for money.”