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Buckingham Palace has announced that Prince Andrew will be stripped of his titles, including ‘prince’, and forced out of his longtime royal mansion, amid growing criticism over his ties with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor,” the palace said on Friday, adding that King Charles had started the formal process to strip the titles from his brother, as well as his honours.
Pressure has intensified against Andrew following the release of a posthumous memoir by American Australian Virginia Giuffre, who alleged in 2014 that she had been trafficked to Andrew by Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell as a 17-year-old.
In a high-profile case that captured global attention, Andrew consistently maintained his innocence. Despite his firm denials of any misconduct, he reached a financial settlement with Virginia Giuffre in 2022, paying her millions to resolve the civil sexual assault lawsuit she had brought against him.
The statement from Buckingham Palace on Friday said a formal notice had now been served on Andrew to surrender the lease of his mansion, Royal Lodge, 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,” the palace said.
“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.”
A source from the palace commented on the matter, acknowledging that although Andrew steadfastly refuted the allegations, there was an undeniable recognition of significant errors in judgment on his part. This admission highlighted the complexities and challenges surrounding the case.
The source said the decision was taken by Charles but that the monarch had the support of the wider family, including heir-to-the-throne Prince William.
In recent weeks, British newspapers have turned their focus on Andrew’s finances, after The Times reported that he had not paid rent on his 30-room mansion for two decades, but had funded at least £7.5 million ($15 million) of renovations when he moved in.
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