Why Charles Took the Decision of Stripping Andrew of His Prince Title — After All These Years
King Charles had long resisted taking the ultimate step against his disgraced brother. But after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s scandals kept resurfacing, testing public patience and the Palace’s credibility, the monarch finally pulled the lever he’d been holding back, stripping his brother of every title, including 'Prince.' According to reports, the move was not spontaneous but had been coming for some time. Questions had often been raised about why Charles delayed action, but sources close to the Palace say the timing was deliberate.
The King waited until the process could unfold smoothly and without constitutional complications. Behind the scenes, there were months of legal consultations, coordination, and backing from senior royals, including Prince William, before the decision was made, PEOPLE reported. “The necessity of action was never in doubt,” said a Palace insider. “It was about finding the right time and the right mechanism to ensure it was done properly.” That apparent 'right time' came when Mountbatten Windsor was hit by a new wave of controversy, not taking action after which would have painted Charles as a weak King. Public pressure had reached a tipping point; several polls by outlets like the Daily Mail showed that a majority of Britons were unhappy with him merely giving up his titles, conveniently. They wanted the King to act decisively, and this time, he did, stripping him of even his birthright: the title of a prince.
The spark came from a resurfaced 2011 email, published concurrently by The Sun. The mail, allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein a day after the infamous photo of Mountbatten Windsor with Virginia Giuffre appeared, directly contradicted the former Duke’s claims that he had long cut ties with the financier.
In his 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, Andrew had insisted he had severed ties with Epstein in 2010. But the unearthed email told another story. “I’m just as concerned for you! Don’t worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it,” he reportedly wrote, signing off with his full royal styling — “A, HRH The Duke of York, KG.”
The revelation alone was damaging, but it didn’t end there. Within days, Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, Nobody’s Girl, hit the shelves, renewing public outrage and creating yet another nightmare for Palace aides trying to contain the fallout. Adding to the embarrassment, Mountbatten Windsor's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who continues to live with him at Royal Lodge, was also caught in her own Epstein-linked controversy. Newly surfaced correspondence revealed she had privately referred to the disgraced financier as her 'supreme friend,' despite publicly condemning him.
Beyond stripping Mountbatten Windsor of his titles, styles, and honors, the King also moved to end his brother’s long-standing residency at Royal Lodge. “His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement. “Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease, and he will move to alternative private accommodation.”
The former Duke is expected to relocate to a smaller property on the Sandringham estate, with his new residence reportedly being privately funded by the King. As for Fergie, who has shared Royal Lodge with her ex-husband for years, sources say she will make 'separate arrangements' on her own.