In addition, he has been removed from Royal Lodge — and after months of speculation about whether he might receive a significant payout for leaving early, the outcome has finally become clear.
This development comes just days before the release of sex-trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, published shortly after her death in April. Giuffre, who took her own life earlier this year, disclosed new accounts in her book about her encounters with Andrew when she was under 18.
In a statement shared on the royal website, Andrew announced, “In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.”
King Charles Orders Eviction After Scandal
Following years of scrutiny over Andrew’s ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, many observers argued that one unresolved issue remained: his continued residence at the sprawling 30-room Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate. King Charles ultimately took decisive action.
In late October, the palace formally removed Andrew’s remaining style, titles, and honours, and issued an eviction notice from the Royal Lodge. Buckingham Palace stated, “His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.”
The statement continued, “His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease, and he will move to alternative private accommodation.”
As the Royal Lodge remains a Crown-owned property, its future use — and whether another member of the royal family will eventually move in — has not been decided.
No Compensation for Early Termination
Though Andrew’s long-term lease was terminated years before its original end date, he will not receive financial compensation for the loss of the property.
According to CNN, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been refused what could have been a six-figure payout, due largely to the deteriorated and poorly maintained condition of the Royal Lodge.