Prince Andrew, no longer a royal in title or status, is expected to receive a substantial financial settlement and annual stipend from King Charles III as he prepares to leave Royal Lodge and take up private residence on the Sandringham estate, according to sources cited by the Guardian. The arrangement reportedly includes an initial six-figure payout to cover relocation expenses, followed by an annuity from the king's private funds that will far exceed Andrew's current $26,000-a-year navy pension. Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday that Andrew has been formally stripped of his titles, including "prince" and "His Royal Highness," and removed from the official Roll of the Peerage.
The palace also confirmed that Andrew has been served notice to surrender his lease on Royal Lodge. While the loss of titles is immediate, Andrew isn't expected to vacate the property until after the holidays. The decision comes amid renewed scrutiny over Andrew's association with Jeffrey Epstein and follows the release of Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir, which repeats allegations—denied by Andrew—that she was forced to have sex with him while trafficked by Epstein. British police are conducting two inquiries: one into claims raised in Giuffre's memoir, and another into allegations that Andrew asked police to "dig up dirt" on Giuffre.
With the king seeking a decisive resolution, the government and royal family have backed the move. Prime Minister Keir Starmer signaled his support, and the Cabinet Office is said to have worked with palace aides to ensure the process stayed outside formal parliamentary debate. Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne and technically a counsellor of state, though he's not expected to serve in that capacity. His daughters, Eugenie and Beatrice, retain their titles. Meanwhile, Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will now have to make her own financial arrangements.
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Ongoing concern over Andrew's judgment and the need to acknowledge Epstein's victims were said to have been key factors in the decision. The Telegraph reports that Queen Camilla was also concerned how Andrew would impact her work with sexual abuse victims. Per the Independent, a new YouGov poll found that nearly 80% of those surveyed support the decision to yank Andrew's titles, while almost 60% felt the royals took too long to deal with the matter.
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