King Charles has officially removed Prince Andrew from public royal life in an effort to protect the monarchy from further damage caused by Andrew’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The move, which included stripping Andrew of his title as prince and evicting him from his Windsor mansion, marks one of the most severe actions taken against a royal family member in modern history.
Charles, who continues to receive cancer treatment, reportedly wanted to safeguard the monarchy’s reputation before his son, Prince William, inherits the throne. Royal experts say Charles acted out of self-preservation, wanting to separate the royal family from Andrew’s scandals once and for all.
For years, Andrew’s connection to Epstein and his lack of sympathy toward abuse victims have deeply hurt the family’s image. Once seen as a heroic naval officer after the Falklands War, Andrew’s reputation declined as his jet-set lifestyle drew ridicule. Public outrage grew after his 2019 BBC interview, where he defended his friendship with Epstein and failed to acknowledge victims’ suffering.
Andrew stepped back from royal duties shortly afterwards and lost his military titles and royal patronages. In 2022, he settled a lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. Although Andrew denied ever meeting her, the case—and her memoir released this month—brought renewed attention to the scandal.
Charles’ latest decision came after criticism that earlier measures, such as preventing Andrew from using his Duke of York title, were too lenient. In recent weeks, Andrew’s presence had overshadowed the king’s important appearances, including a meeting with the pope and the unveiling of a memorial for LGBT military veterans.
Many see Charles’ move as a necessary step to preserve what remains of the monarchy’s credibility, though others believe it came too late. Support for the royal family has been steadily declining, particularly among younger people, with recent surveys showing the lowest public approval in decades.
