Buckingham Palace statement in full as King Charles to strip Andrew of all titles

The King is initiating a formal process to remove Prince Andrew's titles and honours, it has been announced. In a bombshell statement released this evening, Buckingham Palace confirmed too 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 continue to remain with the victims of abuse. The decision to formally strip Andrew of his titles and honours reportedly has the support of the wider Royal Family, including Prince William. Meanwhile, Andrew's children, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie, will retain their titles as they are daughters of the son of a Sovereign.

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 King Charles 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.

Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch has praised the King's "very difficult" decision to strip his brother of his titles. She said on LBC Radio: I think that the King has clearly felt that this is the right decision for the royal family.

"It must have been a very difficult thing for him to have done. I mean, having to do that to your own brother. But the standards and expectations in society now are very high. People expect to see the very highest levels of integrity."

Andrew has lived rent-free in the lavish 30-room mansion for over 20 years. However, there have been increasing calls for him to vacate the property, including from MPs, following reports about his relationship with the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew, who stepped back from royal duties in 2019 after his disastrous Newsnight interview, 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 repeatedly denied the allegations.

Reacting to the news, the family of his accuser said she has "brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage". They said in a statement given to the BBC: "Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and countless other survivors like her.

"Today, she declares a victory. We, her family, along with her survivor sisters, continue Virginia's battle and will not rest until the same accountability applies to all of her abusers and abetters, connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell."

Previous 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."