British King Charles III yesterday began the official procedure for stripping Prince Andrew of his titles, who will move from his home at Windsor Castle to Sandringham. Buckingham Palace announced that the royal has agreed to leave the castle, as his ties to the scandalous financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to cause controversy. This has become the main topic in today's British press, writes BTA.
Buckingham Palace announced that Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and that he has already been given official notice that he must move to another, private residence. The decision is the result of concerns within the royal family about the reputational risk to the monarchy caused by the constant media headlines related to Andrew's friendship with the late sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein and the allegations of Virginia Giuffre - one of the financier's victims - that she was sexually assaulted by the royal, the Guardian notes. The publication recalls that this month it began publishing excerpts from the posthumously published memoirs of Giuffre, who committed suicide in April at the age of 41. Skye Roberts, Giuffre's brother, welcomed the king's decision to "set a precedent" but said Andrew should be put "behind bars".
Sigrid McCauley, Giuffre's lawyer during her trial against Prince Andrew, was quoted by the Independent as saying that the removal of the titles was a "turning point". "Virginia Giuffre's voice changed history. Her courage, determination and unwavering spirit led to this defining moment. "As we consider the turning point - the removal of the title of “prince“, this should be a lesson for everyone to listen, hear and believe survivors of abuse," she added.
Last night's statement from the palace about the decision marks a sharp change in tone from its last statement about Andrew, in which he was nevertheless allowed to keep the title of prince and the lease of the 30-room Royal Lodge estate, the “Financial Times“ notes in turn. The statement follows nearly two weeks of debate over whether Andrew should continue to be known as a prince and retain his right to remain at Royal Lodge, where he has lived rent-free since 2003, having paid an initial £8.5m in upfront fees and renovations.
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, as he is now known, believed the worst was over when he agreed to stop using the title Duke of York a few weeks ago and keep his place in the palace, the Daily Telegraph reported. "But the king had other plans," the paper said. Whether Andrew knew it or not, there was never any doubt in his older brother's mind that more needed to be done, and it was always a question not of "if" but "when" his disgraced brother would be kicked out altogether. The paper said that the king's decision to strip Andrew of all his titles - including prince - was a far greater surprise, a punishment that even the disgraced Prince Harry was spared. The paper noted that the apparent flood of potentially compromising material about Andrew and his ill-chosen friends has caused panic among the king's advisers, who fear that further details about his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, "not to mention stories about his dealings with alleged Chinese spies", will soon come to light.
“Prince Andrew has officially been dethroned - and that's good news for the other royals“, commented the “Daily Express“. According to the publication, although the question was when, not if, an announcement would be made about Andrew's future, few predicted that the curtain would fall on every aspect of his life. "For a proud man who has enjoyed the trappings of royal life, last night's announcement will be truly devastating. It goes far beyond voluntarily giving up the title of duke - Andrew is not even entitled to hold on to his family title of prince," notes royal editor Emily Ferguson. According to her, the palace can now hope that no further criticism of inaction over the scandal will follow and that it can return to normal life. "As for Andrew, he will retire to Sandringham with his tail between his legs and begin a new, quieter life on his own, away from prying eyes," Ferguson concludes.
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, was quoted by The Times as saying that the decision had been "very difficult" for the king. "I think the king obviously felt it was the right decision for the royal family. It must have been very difficult for him to do this to his own brother. But the standards and expectations in society are very high now. People expect to see the highest levels of integrity. The whole Jeffrey Epstein saga has just shown that the public has no tolerance for any kind of sexual abuse, sexual crimes, particularly against minors. And I think that's quite right," she said.
Of course, the leading British tabloids did not fail to add color to the development of the royal scandal.
“The Latest Humiliation“, appears on the front page of the “Sun“. “It could get even worse“, notes “Daily Mail“: “The former prince begins his first day as a commoner, but Mr. Mountbatten Windsor's humiliation opens the door to a full police investigation“. “The royal formerly known as the prince“, notes “Daily Star“, playing on the late pop singer Prince, who in the final years of his career introduced himself as “The artist formerly known as Prince“. “Shameful Andy has been stripped of all his titles and kicked out of his home after the king revealed his new name“, summarizes the British tabloid.