❓WHAT HAPPENED: King Charles formally stripped his brother Andrew Mountbatten Windsor of his titles and HRH (His Royal Highness) status through a rare Letters Patent.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: King Charles, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, deceased Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, and the Royal Family.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced on November 6, 2025, with the Letters Patent dated November 3, 2025, in the United Kingdom.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Andrew Mountbatten Windsor shall no longer be entitled to hold and enjoy the style, title or attribute of ‘Royal Highness’ and the titular dignity of ‘Prince’.” – The Crown Office
🎯IMPACT: Andrew has been officially removed from royal duties and will live on a private property; the Royal Family website has erased references to him.
Britain’s King Charles III has officially removed the titles of his younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, marking a historic and rare royal action. A Letters Patent dated November 3, 2025, and published by the Crown Office in The Gazette, states “Andrew Mountbatten Windsor shall no longer be entitled to hold and enjoy the style, title or attribute of ‘Royal Highness’ and the titular dignity of ‘Prince.’
The document follows months of growing pressure on the King to address ongoing controversies surrounding Andrew’s connections with deceased child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and allegations made by deceased Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre.
Buckingham Palace said the decision was “necessary” to protect the integrity of the monarchy after renewed public scrutiny sparked by Giuffre’s posthumous memoir earlier this year. The book, released following her death, refocused global attention on the allegations she made against Andrew, which he continues to deny.
Although he reached a £12 million settlement with Giuffre in 2022, the now-former Duke of York has repeatedly insisted he “never met” her. Giuffre’s family described her as “an ordinary American girl” whose “truth and extraordinary courage” had “brought down a British prince.”
The King’s action coincides with Buckingham Palace’s announcement that Andrew, now 65, will vacate the 30-room Royal Lodge at Windsor Castle and move to a smaller residence on Charles’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk. The move signals a further step back from public life for the disgraced ex-royal, who has already withdrawn from official duties.
In a statement issued in mid-October, Andrew said he had decided to renounce his remaining royal titles and honours “after discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family.” He added: “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.” He also reiterated his denial of the accusations, stating, “I vigorously deny the allegations against me.”
Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, reportedly blames herself for the scandal and is said to be considering leaving Britain, with one source claiming she is “more on edge” than Andrew as invitations and opportunities have “dried up overnight.” His daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their HRH titles, but their father’s downfall could still affect their public standing and income.
Despite losing his titles, Andrew will retain his military service medals, including those earned during the Falklands War, which veterans have defended as legitimately won. The latest developments follow a series of scandals in recent years, including Andrew’s withdrawal from a 2024 royal Christmas event amid a separate controversy linked to alleged Chinese espionage ties.
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