England’s King Charles stripped his younger brother Andrew of his princely title and ordered him to leave his royal residence on Friday (October 31), following renewed scrutiny following the publication of the posthumous memoir of one of the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent accusers.
Virginia Giuffre’s book details new allegations surrounding Andrew, 65, who is the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth and always denied the accusations made by Giuffre before his death by suicide in April.
The king’s decision, announced on October 30 and approved by heir to the throne Prince William, constitutes one of the most dramatic measures taken against a member of the royal family in modern British history.
Here are details about Andrew’s case and its implications.
WHAT ARE GIUFFRE’S ALLEGATIONS ABOUT ANDREW?
In her memoir “Nobody’s Girl,” Giuffre wrote that when she was a teenager, she was forced to have sex with Andrew, the eighth heir to the British throne, on three occasions at Epstein’s request, including one that she described as an “orgy.”
One of the occasions took place at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s long-time associate, who she said facilitated her introduction to Andrew.
The memoir says Andrew correctly guessed Giuffre’s age – 17 – when they first met, and includes details of meetings in London, New York and on Epstein’s private island. In her book, Giuffre said that “entitled” Andrew thought it was his birthright to have sex with her.
Epstein, who committed suicide in 2019 in prison while awaiting trial on sexual abuse charges, was jailed in 2008 for child sex offenses. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 in the United States of sex trafficking for helping Epstein sexually abuse teenage girls and was later sentenced to 20 years in prison.
PRINCE ANDREW’S DENIALS AND THE ‘NEWSNIGHT’ INTERVIEW
In 2011, Andrew left his post as Britain’s roving trade ambassador, partly because of his friendship with Epstein.
As Epstein made headlines again in 2019, Andrew gave what turned out to be a disastrous interview to the BBC’s Newsnight program.
He denied ever meeting Giuffre, said he could not have had sex with her in London, as she said, because he was at a pizzeria for a children’s party, and that her account of him sweating profusely in a nightclub was false because he suffered from a health condition that prevented him from sweating.
He also cast doubt on an infamous 2001 photo that showed him with his arm around Giuffre’s waist.
He has always continued to deny these accusations, although in 2022 he approved a financial agreement to settle a US lawsuit filed by Giuffre.
He told the BBC that he broke off contact with Epstein in 2010 but remained at his home in New York because he was “too honorable” to cut ties over the phone.
CHINESE “SPY” AND “WE WILL PLAY MORE SOON” SCANDAL
Following the BBC interview, Andrew was abandoned by businesses and his charities, and he was forced to step down from public office.
But Giuffre’s trial and criminal charges against Maxwell have forced Buckingham Palace and the royal family to take further steps to distance themselves from Andrew. In January 2022, he was stripped of his military ties and royal patronage, and lost the nickname “His Royal Highness”.
Last December, it was revealed in a court ruling that a close Chinese associate of Andrew’s was considered by the British government to be a Chinese spy.
The man involved denied the allegations, but they meant Andrew’s already damaged reputation took a further hit and prompted fresh questions about his finances, after Charles cut his annual allowance.
Earlier in October, The Mail on Sunday newspaper published an email allegedly sent from Andrew to Epstein, written in 2011 weeks after he told Newsnight he had already cut off contact with the financier.
In the email, the prince wrote: “Keep in close contact and we will play again soon,” the newspaper said.
ANDREW STRIPPED OF ALL HIS TITLES
On October 18, Andrew announced that he would renounce use of his title “Duke of York” and all his remaining honors, such as his membership in the Order of the Garter, Britain’s oldest chivalric order.
It was also announced that he would no longer attend the annual royal Christmas gatherings at Sandringham, the royal household in eastern England.
On October 30, the king intensified his actions against Andrew by revoking all his titles, including that of prince, and forcing him to give up the lease of his Royal Lodge mansion on the Windsor estate, west of London.
Andrew, who had not paid rent on his 30-bedroom mansion for two decades, will move to another private accommodation on the Sandringham estate in eastern England and will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
Buckingham Palace called the decision necessary despite Andrew’s continued denial of the allegations against him. The palace said the king stood with all victims and survivors of abuse.
IS THIS THE END OF THE SAGA?
London police said they were “actively investigating” newspaper allegations that Andrew asked one of his personal protection officers in 2011 to dig up information about Giuffre’s allegations, which a Buckingham Palace source said should be “investigated appropriately”.
Some anti-monarchy campaigners argued that the loss of royal titles and Andrew’s transfer from one lavish residence to another amounted to too light a punishment. Republic, a campaign group founded in 1983 which calls for an elected head of state in Britain, said he should be investigated by police.
