King wields axe against Andrew with disgraced royal stripped of Prince title and forced to quit Royal Lodge
The disgraced royal will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor when the process concludes
Prince Andrew will be stripped of all his titles and will move out of Royal Lodge as King Charles takes decisive action against his brother, who has become mired in scandal.
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Buckingham Palace said Andrew has agreed to leave Royal Lodge, as his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to cause controversy.
It is understood that although Andrew denies the accusations, Buckingham Palace considers the friendship a “serious lapses of judgment”.
A statement released by the Palace on Thursday said: "His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.
"Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor."
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The statement continued: "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."
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told LBC it is "a very sad state of affairs".
She said: "I think that the King has clearly felt that this is the right decision for the Royal Family. It must have been a very difficult thing for him to have done, having to do that to your own brother.
"But the standards and expectations in society now are very high. People expect to see the very highest levels of integrity.
"And I'm afraid the whole Jeffrey Epstein saga and everyone it has touched, from Prince Andrew to Peter Mandelson, has just shown that the public has no truck whatsoever with any kind of sexual abuse, sexual offences, especially of minors.
"And I think that that's quite right."
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has backed the King in his decision to remove Andrew’s titles.
He said: “The King is absolutely right to strip Prince Andrew of both his titles and his residence at the Royal Lodge.
“It’s clear that Andrew’s position had become totally untenable, having disgraced his office and embarrassed the country.
“This is an important step towards rebuilding trust in our institutions and drawing a line under this whole sorry saga.”
Andrew could be the subject of a private prosecution after anti-monarchy group Republic said it was considering launching legal action against the royal.
The organisation said it had instructed a law firm of private prosecution specialists to investigate and, if appropriate, begin a private prosecution over allegations of sexual assault, corruption and misconduct in public office.
Graham Smith, chief executive officer of Republic, said: “If not us, then who? It’s a devastating indictment on the UK’s criminal justice system, police and politicians – not to mention the King and heir – that we must resort to a private prosecution.”
Republic has launched a crowdfunding appeal to raise £50,000 for its legal action, and has already been donated almost £7,000.
Public opinion appears to be hardening against the prince, with a YouGov poll finding those who see Andrew “very negatively” increasing from 69% in August to 81%, when 2,161 adults were questioned this week.
Andrew attempted to draw a line under years of controversy, following allegations he sexually abused Virginia Giuffre, by giving up his dukedom and other honours ahead of the publication of Ms Giuffre’s posthumous memoirs earlier this month.