Prince Andrew’s ties to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been a source of public scandal for more than a decade. Yet following the recent release of Nobody’s Girl, Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, in late October, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday that King Charles III had formally begun the process of stripping his younger brother of his titles—as well as removing Andrew from his longtime home, Royal Lodge, part of the Crown Estate.
Here’s what we know so far about Andrew’s current status within the royal family.
Is Andrew still Duke of York? (Is he even still a prince?)
Officially, no—Andrew, 65, will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. King Charles is also said to be sending royal warrants to remove Andrew’s peerage in relation to York, Inverness, and Killyleagh. As the daughters of the son of a sovereign, however, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will retain their titles.
Andrew—who stepped away from royal duties in 2019—first confirmed that he would be surrendering the title of the Duke of York on October 17. “In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” he said in a statement released by the Palace. “I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life. 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. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
What, exactly, did Buckingham Palace say about the matter?
“His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew,” the Palace said in a statement on Thursday.
It continued: “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.”
What’s the story behind Royal Lodge—and where will Andrew live now?
Royal Lodge—which sits on a 98-acre plot in Berkshire, England—has been a royal accommodation since 1812, when George, Prince of Wales (later King George IV), stayed at the site while he was rebuilding Cumberland Lodge, about 30 miles east.
It became known as Royal Lodge in the late 1820s, and in the 1830s King William IV set about completely rebuilding it (save for the conservatory). Officers of the Royal Household lived in the building throughout the later 19th century.
Then, in 1931, King George V made Royal Lodge the Duke and Duchess of York’s country retreat—the duke and duchess then being the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, parents to Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. The queen mother would go on using the house after her husband’s death, dying there herself in 2002.
Andrew has lived at Royal Lodge since 2004, when he and his daughters moved there from nearby Sunninghill Park. Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, moved in with them in 2008.
Expanded and refurbished several times during the last century, the main building presently stands three stories, with a pair of two-story wings, and has about 30 rooms, including seven bedrooms. The grounds also include the Royal Chapel of All Saints, built in the 1820s.
The BBC reports that Andrew will be moving to a property on the private Sandringham estate in Norfolk—where the Windsors have often celebrated Christmas in recent years—as privately funded by King Charles. However, Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson—who will also be compelled to move out of Royal Lodge—is responsible for finding her own new living arrangements.
