King Charles III has stripped his brother, Prince Andrew, of his royal titles and honours following several recent scandals that have shocked the public.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that Andrew will be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor from now on, and would no longer live in the Royal Lodge.
It comes weeks after Virginia Giuffre’s memoir was posthumously released, revealing yet further claims of alleged encounters with Andrew after being connected through the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein when she was just 17.
Reports reveal that the 65-year-old royal hasn’t objected to the latest development, which came shortly after he gave up his title of Duke as well.
The statement from the royal household reads: “Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
“His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.
“Their majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
Although Andrew will no longer officially be considered a prince, he remains eighth in line for the British throne - a right that can only be removed through an Act of Parliament.
But have any other royals lost their titles?
Royals who have lost or given up titles and styles of address
Although there aren’t many cases of British royals losing or relinquishing titles and styles, there are a few prominent cases that you may know of.
Harry & Meghan
In 2020, reports revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would no longer use their HRH style after stepping back as working members of the Royal family.
Harry, who is still fifth in line to the throne and remains a prince by birthright, also lost military patronages at the time but he still technically holds the positions.
The couple also retained their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles.
Princess Diana
When Diana divorced Prince Charles, the People’s Princess also relinquished her Royal Highness title as part of the divorce agreement in 1996.
However, William and Harry’s mum kept the title of Princess of Wales.
King Edward VIII
Perhaps the most well-known case of a royal relinquishing their position is that of King Edward VIII, who abdicated the British throne after falling in love with a twice-divorced woman called Wallis Simpson.
The situation caused a constitutional crisis in the UK and led to the king stepping down to marry Simpson.
The former king was later named the Duke of Windsor, and he maintained the style of HRH throughout his life.
Princess Patricia
In 1919, Princess Patricia of Connaught gave up the title of princess and HRH when she married a non-royal called Sir Alexander Ramsay.
As the granddaughter of Queen Victoria, Patricia remained in the line of succession but was relatively low on the list.
Prince Charles Edward
Prince Charles Edward, a grandson of Queen Victoria, had his title as Duke of Albany removed in 1917 after he decided to denounce Britain and fight for the Germans in WWI.
Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, a German familial tie to the Royal family, was also stripped in the same act.
