Buckingham Palace said Thursday that King Charles III has begun the formal process of stripping Prince Andrew of his royal titles and honors.
In a statement, the palace said, “His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.”
The announcement also confirmed that Andrew has been ordered to surrender his lease on the Royal Lodge, the residence on the Windsor estate where he has lived for years.
“Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation,” the palace said.
While the statement did not specifically say the decision was tied to Andrew’s past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, it appeared to allude to it.
RELATED STORY | Prince Andrew says he's giving up the royal title of Duke of York after Epstein allegations resurface
“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” the palace said, adding that “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.”
RELATED STORY | Virginia Giuffre's memoir alleges abuse at the hands of Epstein and others
Earlier this month, a posthumous memoir by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre was released and named Prince Andrew. Giuffre wrote that he abused her on multiple occasions and that he acted as though “having sex with me was his birthright.”
Prince Andrew has long denied Giuffre’s allegations that he sexually abused her when she was 17.
