King Charles is considering stripping Prince Andrew of his title of Duke of York after a string of allegations, the Guardian understands.
Buckingham Palace has reportedly reached “a tipping point” over headlines about Andrew’s connections to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and to a senior Chinese Communist party official suspected to be at the heart of the recent collapsed China spy case.
The Guardian understands that the Prince of Wales is keen for his uncle to be stripped of his titles before he inherits the throne, and that the king recognises this is something he needs to do to smooth his son’s path.
Removal of Andrew’s dukedom would require an act of parliament, but with the king’s backing could receive government and public support, the Times reported on Friday.
“It feels like we are reaching a tipping point,” a royal source told the newspaper, which claimed there was understood to be “concern” and “anxiety” within the royal household about serious reputational risk to the monarchy from the continual headlines.
Another option would be to banish Andrew from the Order of the Garter, which the Daily Mail reports the king is urgently and actively considering.
It follows the publication of extracts in the Guardian from the posthumous memoir of Andrew’s accuser Virginia Giuffre, who took her life in April aged 41. In her book, Giuffre claimed the prince behaved as if he “believed that having sex with me was his birthright”.
Andrew has always denied claims he had sex with Giuffre, a victim of Epstein’s, and settled a civil case with her for a reported £12m with no admission of liability.
It has also been reported that Andrew held meetings in 2018 and 2019 with Cai Qi, a member of China’s ruling politburo. Cai was suspected of being the recipient of sensitive information allegedly passed to China by two British nationals accused of spying for Beijing. The case against Christopher Berry and Christopher Cash was recently dropped by the CPS and both have denied wrongdoing.
Emails recently published by the Mail on Sunday also appeared to show Andrew had been in contact with Epstein later than he had claimed in his Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis.
Buckingham Palace is said to have hoped Andrew might voluntarily give up his titles before being forced. Given that there are procedural difficulties with removal of his dukedom, it was hoped that he may act with “honour”, a source told the Times.
If not, it is understood that the king would be resolute in taking the difficult steps required to sanction his brother, the paper said.
Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and the Duke of York’s representatives have been approached for comment. Kensington Palace has declined to comment.
