In a landmark move, King Charles III has formally stripped his brother, Prince Andrew (now to be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor), of his princely title and the style “His Royal Highness”. This action, executed by letters patent dated 3 November 2025 and published in the official public register, The Gazette, marks a significant departure from protocol.
The palace first announced on 30 October that the King had initiated a formal process to remove Andrew’s style, titles and honours. In the statement, Buckingham Palace said that Andrew would henceforth be called Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and that his lease on the longtime royal residence, Royal Lodge, would be surrendered and he would move to alternative private accommodation.
The reasons behind the decision are tied to Andrew’s controversial association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and ongoing allegations of sexual abuse by one of Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Giuffre, which he denies. The royal family, facing mounting reputational pressures, concluded that the removal was necessary to safeguard public confidence in the monarchy.
Constitutionally, the King was able to effect the change via his royal prerogative — using letters patent and royal warrants — bypassing the need for parliamentary legislation. The Gazette entry reads: “THE KING has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 3 November 2025 to declare that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor shall no longer be entitled to hold and enjoy the style, title or attribute of ‘Royal Highness’ and the titular dignity of ‘Prince.’”
In terms of consequences, Andrew loses the title of “Prince” and the HRH style, and will no longer be the Duke of York — his name has been removed from the peerage roll. Meanwhile, he may retain his South Atlantic Medal from the Falklands conflict. His daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, however, retain their titles under the 1917 Letters Patent issued during King George V’s reign.
Going forward, the King and the palace will oversee the transition: Andrew will move from the Royal Lodge to a smaller residence on the royal estate and his honorary military appointments are expected to be revoked as part of the follow-through. Government departments have expressed full support for the move.
In short, this is an unprecedented step for the British monarchy: a son of a previous sovereign born with the princely title is being formally demoted in this way. The implications for royal protocol, precedent and the public image of the monarchy are significant.
English