King Charles III’s decision to strip Andrew Mountbatten Windsor of his prince title is a move that Queen Elizabeth II never would have made.
“This must have been a painful decision for the King — this is his brother, after all,” royal author Christopher Andersen told Us Weekly exclusively after news broke on Thursday, October 30, that Charles had begun the formal process of removing Andrew’s titles and evicting him from his home at Royal Lodge.
“Charles must know how much booting Andrew out of the royal family would have hurt his mother, the late queen,” Andersen added. “I can’t imagine Elizabeth II would have ever gone this far — not ever.”
Andrew, 65, was famously the late queen’s “favorite” child — something that, according to Andersen, was true “to the very end” of her life. “She did what she could to protect him,” he told Us.
Why Was Prince Andrew Stripped of His Titles? What Led to the King’s Move
Buckingham Palace released a statement on Thursday sharing that Andrew’s “style, titles and honors” would be removed, active immediately.
“His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence,” the statement read. “Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation.”
According to Andersen, there was “a lot of tension” between Charles, 76, and Andrew over the living arrangement. Andrew and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson had lived in the Royal Lodge rent free for 22 years as part of an agreement that would allow them to stay until 2078.
Us understands that they will both be vacating the property as soon as possible. Andrew will relocate to Charles’ privately-owned Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Andersen noted to Us that this is the king offering his brother “a safety net of sorts.” The royal author also speculated to Us that Ferguson will “be allowed” to stay with Andrew as well.
Although Andrew gave up his Duke of York title earlier this month, Charles’ latest drastic decision was “deemed necessary,” Buckingham Palace stated. The statement also noted that Andrew continues to deny all the accusations 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,” the palace’s statement concluded on Thursday.
Shocking Claims From Prince Andrew Accuser Virginia Giuffre’s New Book
Andrew was first accused of sexual assault by the late Virginia Giuffre in 2019, who claimed that she had sexual relations with the disgraced royal family member in 2001 when she was underage. Andrew has continuously denied the allegations.
Giuffre sued Andrew for sexual abuse in 2021 and they settled outside of court the following year. (Giuffre died by suicide at age 41 this past April.)
Andrew started making headlines for his connection to Jeffrey Epstein earlier this month when an excerpt from Giuffre’s posthumously released memoir was published. The book, titled Nobody’s Girl, was published on October 21, and detailed further allegations of Giuffre’s apparent experiences with Epstein and Andrew.
“In the years since, I’ve thought a lot about how he behaved,” she wrote about Andrew, in part. “He was friendly enough, but still entitled — as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright.”
