King Charles to strip his brother Andrew of 'prince' title
'Censures necessary, notwithstanding the fact that Andrew continues to deny the allegations against him'
Updated 10.23pm
King Charles will strip his younger brother Andrew of his royal titles and long-term residence on the Windsor estate, the palace said in a statement on Thursday.
The announcement followed fresh outrage at accusations made by one of Jeffrey Epstein's main accusers against the 65-year-old, who has denied the charges.
"His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew," it said.
"Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor," it said.
Andrew has also been told to move out of his long-time home on Windsor Castle's sprawling grounds, 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," the palace said.
"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," the palace said.
Andrew gave up his other royal titles earlier this month, including the Duke of York, after more questions on his private life. His ex-wife Sarah Ferguson also lost her duchess title as a consequence but their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie will continue to have the title of princess.
The news comes days after the publication of Virginia Giuffre's memoir, in which the victim of US sex offender Epstein reiterated in shocking detail allegations she had sex with Andrew three times, including when she was only 17.
The prince, who denies any wrongdoing, agreed to pay US and Australian citizen Giuffre millions of dollars in 2022 to end her civil sexual assault case against him.
She took her own life in April, aged 41, while Epstein took his own life in 2019 in prison awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
In a statement, Guiffre's brother Skye Roberts and sister-in-law Amanda said "an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage."
"Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her.
"Today, she declares victory. We, her family, along with her survivor sisters, continue Virginia's battle and will not rest until the same accountability applies to all of the abusers and abettors connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell."