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Topics: Royal Family, Prince Andrew, UK News, News
Lucy Devine
Topics: Royal Family, Prince Andrew, UK News, News
Earlier this week, the Royal Family made an unprecedented move of stripping the former Prince Andrew of all his titles, including his birthright title of 'Prince'.
Andrew has also been instructed to leave Royal Lodge, a move which experts initially believed was unlikely to happen.
The late Queen Elizabeth II's youngest son will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and, as per King Charles’ instructions, has been asked to vacate his home ‘as soon as is practicable.’
The decision, taken by the monarch, came amid newly-revealed emails shared between Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide while awaiting trial behind bars in 2019.
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According to a report by Sky News, Andrew sent the child sex offender a note via email in April 2010, months after he was released from prison for prostituting minors.
Andrew reportedly replied to a message from Epstein suggesting he should meet American banker James ‘Jes’ Staley in London later that month.
“I would love to, but sadly heading to the stan’s [Central Asia] via Kiev next Fri/Sat, so will miss him,” he wrote. “But I will make sure I meet him soon on another trip.
“Also, I have no immediate plans to drop by New York, but I think I should at some stage soon. I’ll look and see if I can make a couple of days before the summer."
“It would be good to catch up in person,” he added.
The pair were pictured together in Central Park eight months later, with Andrew claiming in 2019 that this meet-up was to end their friendship. The former Duke has always denied all allegations against him.
Here, we look at Andrew's new name and what will happen to the royal next.
Andrew no longer has his Prince or Duke of York title and will instead be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
He also gave up his Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, as well as Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
Other titles include two given to him on his wedding day, the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh.
Back in 2022, Andrew stopped using HRH, meanwhile, all of his military titles and patronages were returned to Queen Elizabeth II.
The move came after Epstein's accuser, Virginia Giuffre, alleged she was paid $15,000 to have sex with the prince when she was just 17 years old - an allegation Andrew has always strongly denied. He and Giuffre settled for around $15 million in 2022.
Andrew will simply be known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Mountbatten-Windsor is a name created in 1960, combining the surnames of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
During the First World War, George V began using the name Windsor to replace the German-sounding House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
Mountbatten, meanwhile, derives from Prince Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg.
Combining the two names is said to have been a result of Prince Philip complaining that his children would not carry his surname.
It is currently understood that Andrew will now be moving to the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, although it's not clear which property he will move into.
Spread across 20,000 acres, the estate is home to around 150 properties in total.
Andrew’s new home will likely be privately funded by King Charles, as it is understood the King will also be making ‘appropriate private provision’ for him.
This means that the taxpayer won’t have to foot the bill for Andrew’s lifestyle on the royal estate.