A week after King Charles III initiated the process of taking away Prince Andrew’s titles and honors, Andrew’s name has noticeably vanished from royal websites.
Buckingham Palace announced on October 30 that the former prince will now be referred to as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The palace also mentioned, “The Royal Lodge rental agreement has provided him with legal protection to continue to reside there to date. A formal notice to relinquish the tenancy has been served, and he will be moving to alternative private accommodation.”
Despite Andrew’s ongoing denials regarding allegations against him, the palace emphasized that this censure was essential. By November 3, his details on the website appeared to be permanently removed. His biography once highlighted his past as a Royal Navy serviceman and his life as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s third child.
It also noted his marriage to Sarah Ferguson on July 23, 1986, at Westminster Abbey. They divorced in 1996 and had two children, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, along with four grandchildren.
Representatives from Buckingham Palace didn’t immediately respond to requests for comments. Andrew had previously announced on October 17 that he would step down from the Duke of York title after the release of an unauthorized biography titled “The Rise and Fall of the House of York” by Andrew Rowney.
Additionally, Andrew had connections to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was mentioned during a recent royal visit. The palace reiterated its support for victims and survivors of abuse.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an Epstein victim, had previously sued Andrew, alleging that he coerced her into sexual encounters when she was 17. Sadly, Giuffre took her own life this year. Her family expressed that their sister, who bravely fought for accountability, had ultimately prevailed against a British prince.
They vowed to continue seeking justice for Giuffre and all survivors affected by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently imprisoned for her role in Epstein’s trafficking operations.
In a now-infamous 2019 interview with the BBC, Andrew struggled to justify his friendship with Epstein, who died in prison that same year. He claimed not to remember meeting Giuffre. Soon after, he withdrew from public life due to the backlash, although he maintained he had done nothing wrong. Giuffre’s lawsuit against him was settled for an undisclosed amount in 2022.
