Published 30 October 2025

The primary responsibility of the monarch is to serve as the constitutional overseer and to uphold the integrity and reputation of the monarchy.

It is important to note that the process in this instance did not necessitate the formation of a Privy Council committee. The Titles Deprivation Act of 1917, which establishes provisions for a Privy Council committee mechanism, applies specifically to peers who engaged in armed conflict against the monarchy or aligned with enemies during wartime. It does not grant a general authority for the removal of titles.

Regarding the recent removal of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s titles—including the Dukedom of York, His Royal Highness style, and princely titles—the following steps are being undertaken:

• King Charles III authorized the action under the Royal Prerogative.
• The government has been duly consulted.
• Royal Warrants are being dispatched to the Lord Chancellor, The Right Honorable David Lammy, to formally update the Peerage Roll and revoke all associated rights and privileges through Royal Warrant or Letters Patent.

It is also noteworthy that Andrew voluntarily relinquished other military titles and royal patronages in 2022 with the approval of the late Queen Elizabeth II and ceased using his HRH style at that time. The current measures constitute a formal and permanent withdrawal of the titles and associated honors.

This earth shattering act by King Charles III was due to continuing controversy about the person who is now to be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s relationship with the convicted paedophile and sex offender Jeffery Epstein. The King is understood to have felt that his brother has made serious lapses of judgement.

In 2022, Mr. Mountbatten Windsor’s honorary military titles were revoked by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, following legal proceedings initiated by Ms. Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s primary accusers. However, he retained his rank of vice-admiral. The Ministry of Defence is in the process of formally relinquishing Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s final honorary military appointment, in accordance with the instructions of His Majesty the King, the Defence Secretary has announced.

The person who is now to be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was among the many prominent individuals who had associations with Jeffrey Epstein. According to his own statements, he first met Epstein in 1999 and that their interactions were infrequent, estimating that they met perhaps once or twice annually.

The person now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has stated that he was unaware of any of the allegations concerning Mr Epstein’s conduct. However, this claim warrants careful examination, particularly in light of his ongoing association with Mr Epstein following the 2008 plea agreement, wherein Mr Epstein entered a guilty plea to two Federal State charges related to solicitation.

Jeffery Epstein, after criminal investigations, in 2008, pleaded guilty to two Florida state charges: solicitation of prostitution and procurement of a minor for sexual activities, as part of a contentious plea agreement that permitted him to sidestep federal prosecution.

Jeffery Epstein subsequently served a 13-month sentence through a work-release programme and was required to register as a sex offender in accordance with legal obligations. Epstein serves most of his sentence in a work-release program that allows him to leave jail during the day to go to his office, then return at night.

The person now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsornotable, had a controversial 2019 interview on BBC Newsnight with Emily Maitless, firmly refuted all allegations of sexual misconduct and stated that he had no recollection of ever meeting Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s former associates who alleges that she was coerced into engaging in sexual activities with him.

In his Newsnight interview, The Man now to be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor claimed he had severed from Jeffrey Epstein in 2008. Emails from early 2011 have now surfaced and been published by The Mail on Sunday, suggesting there had been ongoing contact, intensifying controversy.

He did, however, acknowledge that he resided at Jeffrey Epstein’s residence in New York in 2010 following Epstein’s conviction, describing the accommodation as a “convenient place to stay.

An artist’s impression of a well known photograph of the man now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001.The original image showing the trio together at Maxwell’s home, is reportedly lost. The widely recognised photograph was captured at Ghislaine Maxwell’s residence in London, Belgravia district.

Ms Giuffre has consistently affirmed that the photograph was taken during her initial meeting with the man now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, in 2001, following an evening at the Tramp nightclub, London.

On July 6, 2019, Mr. Jeffrey Epstein was formally taken into federal custody on charges related to sex trafficking, following the decision by federal prosecutors in New York that the previous non-prosecution agreement was not applicable.

On August 10, 2019, corrections personnel found Mr. Jeffrey Epstein unresponsive in his housing unit at a federal detention facility in New York City. An investigation determined that his death was due to suicide.

In August 2021 Virginia Giuffre (née Roberts) sued The Man now known Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, second son of Queen Elizabeth II in Ithe U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, for sexual assault. Giuffre’s lawsuit was, filed under New York’s Child Victims Act, alleged that she was forced to have several sexual encounters with the Man now known Andrew Mountbatten Windsor in the early 2000s at the age of 17, after being sex trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten Windsor denied Giuffre’s claims.

On 12 January 2022, the case was assigned to senior New York district judge Lewis A. Kaplan. He dismissed the man now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s attempt to have the case thrown out, allowing the legal proceedings to continue.

On 15 February 2022, the involved parties reached an out-of-court settlement, which included the man now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor making a significant donation to Ms Giuffre’s charitable organisation. As part of the agreement, the man now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor acknowledged that Jeffrey Epstein was known to have trafficked numerous young women over many years, and he expressed remorse for his association with Epstein, commending Ms Giuffre and others for their bravery in standing up for themselves and others. the man now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor also committed to demonstrating his regret by supporting efforts to combat similar harms and assisting victims.

The settlement amount, some of which was apparently paid by Queen Elizabeth II, was estimated to be up to £12 million, with a portion designated for SOAR (Speak Out, Act, Reclaim), the charity founded by Ms Giuffre to advocate for survivors of sexual abuse.

King Charles III has appropriately exercised his constitutional authority by utilising the Royal Prerogative to continue serving the interests of his subjects. The King’s decision to revoke Prince Andrew’s titles is being carried out promptly. To formalise the removal of these titles and privileges. The King has officially issued a Royal Warrant to revoke Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s peerage, resulting in his removal from the official peerage register maintained by the College of Arms. The Royal Warrants has been addressed to the Lord Chancellor, Mr. David Lammy, who as authorising the official procedures for this process. The primary responsibility of the monarch is to uphold constitutional principles and ensure the integrity and reputation of the monarchy are preserved.

The Privy Council has not been involved in the recent proceedings regarding the reduction of titles and privileges conferred upon Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The decision was made by King Charles III utilising the Royal Prerogative, following consultations with the government. The formal process entails issuing Royal Warrants to the Lord Chancellor, The Right Honourable David Lammy,

Right Honourable David was appointed to this office 5th September 2025, to effectuate the removal of titles. The ceremony at the Royal Courts of Justice follows his appointment as Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State for Justice and Deputy Prime Minister on 5 September 2025. He was previously the Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and the Shadow Lord Chancellor.

Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill, the Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales, conducted the swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday 1 October.

Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill, the Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales, conducted the swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday 1 October. She said: