King Charles Strips Andrew of Titles Amid Epstein-Link Allegations

Nov 1, 2025 – After weeks of pressure, Britain’s King Charles III on October 30 initiated “a formal process” to strip Prince Andrew of his titles and all Royal honours over allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. Andrew has also been ordered to vacate his lavish 30-room residence, Royal Lodge, located in Windsor though he will not be leaving it immediately.

Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — a surname combining Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s family names – thereby being now moved to the status of a commoner. He has been stripped of his Prince and Duke of York titles and HRH style.

A statement issued by Buckingham Palace on October 30 evening said "His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew," adding that “these censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.” It added, “Our sympathies lie with the victims who have suffered abuse or exploitation in any form”.

Andrew, the younger son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, is suspected of having links with scandalous American paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. American woman Virginia Roberts Giuffre had alleged that Epstein sent her to Andrew in 2001 when she was 17, and Andrew sexually abused her three times.

Giuffre had filed a case against Andrew in 2021.The matter was later reportedly settled for around Rs 125 crore (approx.), although Andrew accepted no wrongdoing. Virginia allegedly died by suicide in April. Her posthumous memoir hit bookstores last week in which she has repeated the allegations against Andrew.

Pressure on the UK Royal family had increased in recent months over Andrew’s association with Epstein. A few days ago, King Charles was confronted publicly at an event demanding action against Andrew. Andrew had surrendered his use of the title of Duke of York earlier this month after more news came out about his friendship with Epstein and sexual abuse of Giuffre.

Although stripped of all royal titles, Andrew remains eighth in line to the British throne, after King Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry’s children. It would take an act of Parliament to formally remove him from the succession line.

According to historians, this is the first time in 106 years that a British Royal family member has lost the title of Prince. The last instance was in 1919, when Prince Ernst Augustus lost his title for siding with Germany during World War I.

Epstein was an American financier and convicted sex offender who was running a vast sex trafficking ring involving minors. He was found dead, suspected suicide, in his cell in New York City in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

The Epstein case has created global outrage and several high-profile names across politics, business and entertainment have been linked to him.

With Media Inputs