In a significant move, Buckingham Palace has announced that Andrew will no longer carry the title of prince, marking a pivotal moment in the royal landscape. The palace confirmed that he will now be referred to as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, effective immediately.

This decision follows intense scrutiny over Andrew’s connections with Jeffrey Epstein, which he previously misrepresented. The palace emphasized that these actions are necessary given the ongoing controversy surrounding the scandal.

A statement from the palace disclosed, “His Majesty has initiated a formal procedure to strip Prince Andrew of his Style, Titles, and Honours.” The announcement underscores the gravity of the situation as the royal family distances itself from the turmoil.

Furthermore, Andrew’s residence at the Royal Lodge will no longer be a viable option, as his lease, which formerly offered him a degree of legal protection, is set to be terminated. The palace confirmed, “Formal notice has been issued to relinquish the lease, and he will transition to alternative private housing.”

‘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.’

Andrew will no longer be known as a prince and is to leave Royal Lodge , it has been confirmed

Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, Andrew’s former home 

King Charles III on October 16 during a visit to the High Commission of Australia in London

Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew attending the Royal Ascot in 2019

It is understood the King Charles III is in the process of sending royal warrants to the Lord Chancellor to secure title removals for the Dukedom of York, Prince and ‘Royal Highness’ from Andrew. His brother is said to have not objected.

Although the former Duke has been stripped of all his remaining titles those of his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will remain. 

Amid the controversy it was previously understood that his Majesty Charles was very keen to ‘protect’ nieces Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, who remain Her Royal Highnesses as granddaughters of Queen Elizabeth.

‘He wouldn’t have wanted to sign off on anything that would impact them,’ a source told the Daily Mail. 

Andrew’s recent departure from the Royal Lodge comes amid an ongoing row over the residence since his dukedom title was stripped earlier this month.

However as of today, it is understood Andrew has been served to surrender the lease and will move out of the residence as soon as practically possible. 

The younger brother of the King will be moved to a property on the Sandringham estate, however the specifics regarding the move are unknown. 

Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will make her own living arrangements after moving out of the royal grounds of Windsor Castle, it is understood. 

The move was entirely down to the King and his advisors, without pressure from the government or other family members, such as Prince William, sources told the Mail. 

‘The process has been underway for some while but there was a need to get it right in the face of some very big challenges,’ an insider said. 

Notice was not served on Andrew to move, it was his lease, so the former duke’s decision to serve notice himself, suggesting that he is not fighting the process. 

Andrew has lived at the Grade II-listed mansion on the grounds of Windsor Castle for over two decades with Fergie, despite their divorce in 1996. 

Amid the controversy, his Majesty, King Charles III, was very keen to ‘protect’ Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who remain Her Royal Highnesses

Prince Andrew pictured horse riding on the Windsor Estate on September 27 this year – the last time he was seen riding in public

It comes a week after the disgraced former duke renounced his titles after King Charles III threatened to have them officially stripped unless he ‘saw sense’.

His Majesty made it clear the would not hesitate to take ‘further action’ if his younger brother continued to cling on to his dukedom and other honours after it emerged he lied about cutting ties with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, The Daily Mail revealed.

And despite the tsunami of growing evidence mounting against him, the 65-year-old was understood to still be digging his heel is with a ‘startling lack of contrition’, in a situation the King deemed ‘intolerable’, sources previously said.

Last week, the row over the Royal Lodge continued to grow amid damning revelations in a posthumous memoir from Andrew’s sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre, who took her own life this year, aged 41.

Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice is scheduled for release in October, with the manuscript finished before she died.

The explosive book revolves around her years spent as a sex slave to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and his British madam Ghislaine Maxwell.

Extracts published by The Guardian show Ms Giuffre, who said she was trafficked by Epstein three times for sex with Andrew, called the ex-Duke ‘entitled’ and viewing sex as his ‘birthright’.

Within the 400-page autobiography, she also alleged the ex-Duke said ‘thank you’ in a ‘clipped British accent’ after their alleged first encounter when she was 17.

She also recalled how Ghislaine Maxwell praised following the encounter, saying, ‘You did well, the Prince had fun’.

Prince Andrew denied having sex with Ms Giuffre, but forked out millions in an out of court settlement in February 2022.

The Royal Family had been prepared for the further scandal the book would likely cause, knowing it was to be published this month.

It comes as scandalous emails from Andrew to Epstein were uncovered by the Mail on Sunday in a world exclusive last week – causing fears more could emerge.

In the astonishing message, the Prince told the paedophile ‘we are in this together’ a day after the MoS released the infamous picture of the Prince with his alleged then-teenage sex victim Ms Giuffre.

He said he was ‘concerned’ about the impact this newspaper’s revelations would have on his friend but reassured the vile billionaire they would ‘rise above’ press scrutiny.

It was sent to Epstein 12 weeks after Andrew had supposedly ceased all contact with the convicted sex offender.

The leaked email provides definitive proof the Prince lied in his car-crash interview with BBC’s Newsnight when he claimed he ‘never had any contact’ with the disgraced financier after the pair were famously pictured walking together in New York’s Central Park in December 2010.

Anti–monarchy group Republic says it intends to investigate allegations that the former Duke of York sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre (pictured)

Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old

The revelation comes just weeks after the MoS exposed how the former Duchess of York wrote Epstein a gushing message calling him her ‘supreme friend’ – despite telling journalists she would never have anything to do with him again.

Writing to Epstein on February 28, 2011 – the day after the MoS published the now infamous picture of him with a teenage Virginia Giuffre that led to his downfall – Andrew said: ‘I’m just as concerned for you! Don’t worry about me!

‘It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it.

‘Otherwise keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!’

Andrew signed off with: ‘A, HRH The Duke of York, KG’.

KG refers to Duke’s ‘Knight of the Garter’ – a prestigious position he has held since 2006 and which he retained until it was removed on Friday.

The hugely embarrassing email heaped further pressure on the Royal Family to sever all ties with the disgraced ex-Yorks and raised fresh questions about their future at Royal Lodge.

And internal talks on the matter began weeks ago after Prince William was left ‘seething’ by his uncle’s behaviour at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral last month.

Andrew was pictured sidling up to the Prince and Princess of Wales, which the heir to the throne saw as him being distracted from the ceremony.

No 10 has also reportedly been pressuring the royals to deal with the scandal, which has run on for years and saw Andrew step back from public life in 2019.

The intervention from Downing Street came after the Prince was entangled in the ongoing Chinese spying row.

Andrew is set to leave his home at Royal Lodge (pictured) with his ex–wife, the former Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson is said to be responsible for making her own arrangements

He was suspected of receiving sensitive information after meeting senior Beijing official Cai Qi at least three times in 2018 and 2019.

After Andrew and his ex-wife agreed to relinquish their titles, Buckingham Palace released a statement on the Prince’s behalf.

It marked the first time it had spoken for him since his car crash Newsnight interview in 2019.

The statement read: ‘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.

‘I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. 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.’

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.