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Digital Phablet – Prince Andrew will not need to vacate Royal Lodge immediately and may relocate to Sandringham as late as the upcoming year.
King Charles dismissed his younger brother, Prince Andrew, from his Windsor residence and revoked all his titles and honors on Thursday. He will be moving to a residence on the King’s Norfolk estate, which will be funded by the king.
This decisive action came after months of scrutiny into Andrew’s personal life, as the royal family continued to grapple with the repercussions of his associations with the infamous child molester Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has maintained that he did nothing wrong.
Meanwhile, the government stated that there are no plans to officially remove Andrew from the line of succession.
Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne, which is still his primary role. However, there have been efforts to pass legislation that would prevent him from ascending to the throne.
To formally exclude him, Parliament would need to pass an act, a process that is complex and requires consensus among all Commonwealth nations, including Australia and Canada.
According to the royal palace, Andrew will be moving from Royal Lodge in Windsor to Sandringham “as soon as possible and practical.” Nonetheless, sources suggest that he should delay his move until the new year so he can avoid being at Sandringham during Christmas, when the royal family gathers.
He will relocate to a privately owned estate whose name has not been disclosed. The king will cover the costs of this move and is also making discreet financial arrangements for his brother.
Sandringham, before becoming King Edward VII’s residence, was purchased in 1862 by the Prince of Wales as a private countryside retreat. The estate spans about 31 square miles (80 square kilometers), comparable in size to Nottingham or Brighton and Hove.
Recent court documents in the U.S. reveal that in 2010, Andrew told Epstein that it would be “good to catch up in person” after Epstein’s release from prison for attempting to procure sex acts from a minor. An email dated April 15, 2010, shows Epstein advising that the prince meet with American banker Jes Staley. Andrew responded that his schedule prevented it at the time, but expressed a desire to meet “a few days before the summer.”
Later, in December 2010, Andrew and Epstein were seen together in New York’s Central Park. Andrew later stated that this encounter marked the end of their friendship.
Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi told BBC’s Newsnight that he wanted the former Duke of York to “come clean” about his dealings with Epstein and expressed a wish to see Andrew testify before Congress. Fellow Democrat Stephen Lynch concurred, stating that Andrew’s perspective “might contribute to justice for these survivors.” Lynch also noted that, as it stands, the House Oversight Committee cannot subpoena Andrew but encouraged him to consider voluntarily providing testimony.
It is believed that the royal family’s decision to strip Andrew of his titles stemmed from significant misjudgments on his part, a move that was supported by the rest of the royal family.
Public opinion also leans in favor of actions against Andrew. A YouGov survey released Thursday indicates that 79% of respondents support revoking his title, with 53% believing that he has already done all he can. Furthermore, 58% think this response should have come sooner, citing concerns that the royal family moved too slowly regarding his links to Epstein.
Downing Street expressed that Sir Keir Starmer “fully supports” the palace’s decision and echoed Buckingham Palace’s stance of standing with Epstein’s victims.
There has been longstanding trouble involving Andrew, which intensified when Virginia Giuffre accused him of sexual assault when she was a minor. Andrew vehemently denies the allegations.
Giuffre filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against him in 2022, despite his claims of no memory of meeting her. Her family stated that she “brought down a prince” due to her accusations. Her brother, Sky Roberts, argued that Andrew should be “investigated” further and criticized the royal family’s decision, claiming it was “not enough” because Andrew remains at large.
He was quoted saying, “He isn’t just going to disappear — he’s still comfortably positioned,” and suggested that Andrew should be questioned in the U.S. regarding Epstein’s crimes if called upon, according to UK trade minister Chris Bryant.
Recent court disclosures also reveal that in 2010, Andrew expressed interest in reconnecting with Epstein after his imprisonment, indicating a continued relationship despite public controversies.
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