After weeks of controversy, the King has decided to strip Andrew of his “prince” title and remove him from his Windsor home.
The former prince has faced a series of scandals over the years and has been under increasing pressure over sexual abuse allegations and his relationship with the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Although Andrew denies all the accusations.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said on Thursday: “His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.
“Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. 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. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.
“Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
Here is a timeline of those accusations, including his friendship with Epstein, which led to Andrew’s disgrace and downfall.
1990s – Andrew meets Epstein
Andrew previously told BBC Newsnight he first met Epstein through “his girlfriend back in 1999”.
Andrew later said he saw Epstein “infrequently”, adding “probably no more than only once or twice a year”.
During the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend, jurors heard that Andrew flew on Epstein’s private plane with a 14-year-old girl in the mid-1990s.
2000 – Epstein and Maxwell attend party at Windsor Castle
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell attend a party at Windsor Castle hosted by Queen Elizabeth II to mark Andrew’s 40th birthday, the Princess Royal’s 50th, the Queen Mother’s 100th and Princess Margaret’s 70th.
Flight records from May show Andrew confirmed as a passenger on Epstein’s private plane.2001 – Giuffre claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew
This is the year that Virginia Giuffre, who was trafficked by Epstein, claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, with the first encounter allegedly taking place in Maxwell’s London townhouse. Giuffre was 17 at the time.
Ms Giuffre also claimed to have had sex with Andrew at Epstein’s New York flat and at an “orgy” on his private island, Little St James, in the Caribbean.
2008 – Epstein jailed for sex offences
Jeffrey Epstein admits to prostituting minors and is sentenced to 18 months in prison.
2009 – More allegations about massages
Epstein’s former housekeeper, Juan Alessi, testifies at his employer’s trial that Andrew had “daily massages” at the paedophile’s Florida home.
2010 – Epstein released and photographed with Andrew
Epstein is released from jail. In December that year, Andrew was photographed with Epstein in New York’s Central Park.
Years later, footage emerges showing Andrew inside Epstein’s Manhattan mansion, where he is seen looking out from a large door of the property, waving a woman goodbye after Epstein leaves to get into a chauffeur-driven car.
2011 – Andrew quits as UK trade envoy
Andrew quits his role as UK trade envoy after the fallout from the Central Park photos.
But recently published emails suggest that in February of that year, he told Epstein “we are in this together”, despite later claiming he broke off all contact with the paedophile in December 2010.
Ms Giuffre reportedly handed the photograph of her with Andrew to the FBI. The duke has insisted he has no memory of the photograph, which shows him with his arm around Ms Giuffre’s waist at Ghislaine Maxwell’s house.
2015 – Andrew linked to Epstein in court documents
Buckingham Palace denies Andrew has committed any impropriety after he was named in US court documents related to Epstein.
Virginia Giuffre alleges in papers filed in Florida that she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 17, which is under the age of consent in the state.
In January, Andrew is reported to have sent an email to Maxwell asking for help in dealing with Ms Giuffre.
2016 – Andrew named in Giuffre civil suit against Maxwell
As part of her civil suit against Maxwell, Ms Giuffre testifies that Epstein paid her 15,000 dollars (£11,180) to have sex with Andrew.
Ms Giuffre also testifies about a sexual encounter with Andrew in the bath of Maxwell’s home in 2001, saying: “He was adorning my young body, particularly my feet, caressing my toes and licking my arches.”
2018 – Andrew meets alleged Chinese spy
Alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo, visits Buckingham Palace twice to meet with Andrew. He is also said to have entered St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle at Andrew’s invitation.
Yang was the founder-partner of Pitch@Palace China, an initiative which was the Duke of York’s scheme to support entrepreneurs.
He was later banned from Britain by the government on national security grounds, following a long-running legal battle.
2019 – Andrew speaks to BBC Newsnight after Epstein’s death, then steps back from royal duties
Newly released legal documents show that Johanna Sjoberg, another alleged Epstein victim, claimed Andrew touched her breast while sitting on a couch inside the US billionaire’s Manhattan apartment in 2001. Buckingham Palace said the allegations are “categorically untrue”.
Epstein was found dead in his jail cell on August 10, having apparently killed himself after being charged with sex trafficking.
Later that month, a pilot on Epstein’s private jet, David Rodgers, claims Andrew was a passenger on past flights with the financier and Ms Giuffre.
Mr Rodgers said in a testimony released in August that Epstein, Andrew and then 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre travelled to the US Virgin Islands on April 11 2001.
Buckingham Palace describes the evidence statement as having “a number of inconsistencies” and said that Andrew was on a different continent in some cases.
Following Epstein’s death, a statement from the palace says that Andrew is “appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes”.
Breaking his silence on the issue for the first time since 2015, Andrew then released a statement on August 24 saying: “At no stage during the limited time I spent with him (Epstein) did I see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction.”
In an interview on BBC Newsnight in November, Andrew says he had “no recollection” of ever meeting Ms Giuffre and added he could not have had sex with her in March 2001 because he was at Pizza Express with his daughter Beatrice on the day in question.
The television sit-down was widely criticised and dubbed a “car crash”, with commentators questioning Andrew’s responses and condemning his unsympathetic tone towards victims and seeming lack of remorse over the friendship.
Four days after the interview, the then Duke of York released a statement confirming he was “stepping back from public duties for the foreseeable future” with permission from Queen Elizabeth II.
Andrew also said he “deeply sympathised” with all of Epstein’s victims and added he was “willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required”.
In December, Ms Giuffre implores the British public to “stand up beside me to help me fight this fight” and “not accept this as being OK”, in clips released ahead of a BBC Panorama interview.
2020 – US prosecutors say Andrew is not cooperating on Epstein inquiry
In January, a US prosecutor claimed Andrew had “provided zero co-operation” over the Epstein sex trafficking inquiry.
Speaking at a news conference outside Epstein’s New York mansion, US attorney Geoffrey Berman said Andrew’s lawyers had been contacted by prosecutors and the FBI, who requested to interview him as part of the investigation.
In June, Andrew’s lawyers said he offered to assist the US Department of Justice “on at least three occasions this year” in its investigation into Epstein.
Just a few hours later, prosecutor Mr Berman – who was leading the investigation into Epstein at the time – said Andrew had “yet again sought to falsely portray himself to the public as eager and willing to co-operate” although he “has repeatedly declined” requests to schedule an interview.
Chinese spy Yang Tengbo is invited to Andrew’s birthday party. A letter from aide Dominic Hampshire, referencing the event, is later found on Mr Yang’s devices.
The letter says of Andrew’s thoughts towards Mr Yang: “You should never underestimate the strength of that relationship… Outside of his closest internal confidants, you sit at the very top of a tree that many, many people would like to be on.”
2021 – Giuffre files civil case against Andrew
In August, Ms Giuffre started legal action against Andrew, saying it was “past the time for him to be held to account” for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager.
Lawyers for Ms Giuffre filed a civil suit seeking unspecified damages at a federal court in New York, where documents claim she was “lent out for sexual purposes” by Epstein, including while she was still a minor under US law.
Andrew is named as the only defendant in the 15-page suit, though Epstein and Maxwell are mentioned frequently throughout.
In December, Maxwell was convicted in a New York court of helping Epstein sexually abuse teenage girls.2022 – Andrew’s royal status downgraded as he settles civil case with Giuffre
In January, a US judge ruled that the civil case against Andrew can go ahead, which is a huge blow for Andrew, whose lawyer had argued that it should be thrown out.
Andrew’s status as a member of the royal family is downgraded after Queen Elizabeth strips him of his honorary military roles, and he gives up his HRH style in a dramatic fallout from the civil case. He is also stripped of his remaining royal patronages.
The development came after more than 150 veterans joined forces to express their outrage, writing to the late Queen to demand the removal of the honorary military positions.
Buckingham Palace says in a statement that Andrew “will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen”.
In February, court documents show Andrew and Ms Giuffre have reached a “settlement in principle” in the civil sex claim.
The documents show Andrew will make a “substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights”, and has pledged to “demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein” by supporting the “fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims”.
Commentators say that while he “at last” appears to have got the tone and language right, it is unlikely he will ever return to public royal life, with one branding him “reputationally toast”.
Calls are renewed for Andrew to lose his dukedom after he pays millions of pounds to a woman he claims never to have met.
2024 – High Court reveals Andrew’s links with Yang
Allegations against Andrew resurface again, in unsealed documents as part of Ms Giuffre’s civil claim against Maxwell.
These claims include Andrew being involved in sex tapes, as well as resurfaced allegations of his participation in an underage orgy.
In December, a High Court hearing reveals Andrew’s links with alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, who was banned from the UK. The hearing describes him as a “close” confidant of Andrew.
A statement from Andrew says that he “ceased all contact with the individual after concerns were raised.
Andrew stays away from the royal family’s traditional Christmas gathering at Sandringham, amid ongoing controversy.
2025 – Giuffre dies, leaving damning memoir. Andrew loses Prince titleMs Giuffre dies aged 41 in April.
In a posthumous memoir, due to be released on October 21, Ms Giuffre writes that Andrew considered it “his birthright” to have sex with her, saying he was “friendly enough, but still entitled.”
She also describes their encounter on Epstein’s private island, writing: “it was not just the two of us this time; it was an orgy” in which “Epstein, Andy, and approximately eight other young girls and I had sex together.”
On October 17, 2025, Buckingham Palace announces Andrew will stop using his titles and honours, including the Duke of York.
The Metropolitan Police said it will investigate claims that Andrew gave Ms Giuffre’s date of birth and social security number to his taxpayer-funded bodyguard in 2011 and asked him to look into her.
A copy of the lease for his 30-bedroom Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge, shows Andrew signed a 75-year lease on the property in 2003.
It reveals he paid £1 million for the lease and that since then he has paid “one peppercorn” of rent “if demanded” per year.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for “proper scrutiny” of Andrew’s rent-free mansion.
It later emerges that the Public Accounts Committee is also seeking more information about the peppercorn rent lease.
Following speculation over whether Andrew would leave Royal Lodge, Buckingham Palace said the King has begun the process to remove his titles, style, and honours.
Notice has been served for Andrew to surrender his lease on the lodge, and he will move to new accommodation on the private Sandringham estate.
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