King Charles Finalises Six-Figure Payout and Annual Stipend as Andrew’s Royal Status Is Stripped

According to sources, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor – formerly known as the Duke of York – is expected to receive a substantial one-time payout along with an annual allowance from King Charles, as Buckingham Palace finalises plans for his future life as a private citizen.

As part of a potential relocation arrangement, the king is reportedly considering a six-figure payment to facilitate Andrew’s move from Royal Lodge in Windsor to privately owned accommodation on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. The settlement would also include an annual stipend, funded personally by King Charles, believed to be several times larger than Andrew’s £20,000 yearly naval pension. Discussions about the package are said to be continuing.

Andrew, who has now been stripped of the titles “prince” and “HRH”, was removed from the official register of the peerage only hours after the palace confirmed that the formal removal process had begun.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the palace announced that the king had initiated the procedure to revoke all titles, styles and honours associated with Prince Andrew. The statement also confirmed that official notice had been served requiring him to surrender the long-term lease on Royal Lodge. It further emphasised the royal family’s sympathy for survivors of abuse, stating that their “thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed full support for the king’s decision. A Downing Street spokesperson offered condolences to the family of Virginia Giuffre and other survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes.

Giuffre’s brother, Sky Roberts, told the Guardian that the palace’s comments amounted to a rare royal acknowledgment that “something occurred” between Andrew and his sister, who died by suicide earlier this year. He added that the king’s statement clearly aligned him with survivors.

The government was consulted before the palace announcement, and officials agreed it was constitutionally appropriate for the king to act. The Cabinet Office is believed to have collaborated with senior palace aides to identify a route that avoided parliamentary involvement, taking advice from constitutional experts. The king ultimately chose to abolish Andrew’s dukedom through the royal prerogative.

A royal warrant and letters patent formalising the removal of his prince and HRH styles are expected in the coming days.

On Friday, a senior minister suggested that Andrew should comply if US authorities request testimony regarding Epstein. Trade minister Sir Chris Bryant said he would expect “any decently minded person” to cooperate with such a request, adding that if Andrew were summoned by a Senate committee, “he would want to comply.”

Meanwhile, Scotland Yard is assessing whether fresh criminal investigations involving the former prince should be opened. He is currently implicated in two police inquiries: a preliminary assessment of claims made in Giuffre’s posthumously published memoir, and a separate inquiry into allegations that Andrew asked his security officers to “dig up dirt” on Giuffre.

Although stripped of his titles effective immediately, Andrew is not expected to leave Royal Lodge before Christmas, meaning he will avoid attending the royal family’s holiday gathering at Sandringham.

Pressure to resolve his occupancy of Royal Lodge intensified in late 2024 when the Prince and Princess of Wales moved to Forest Lodge, a nearby property. They reportedly feared the public-relations fallout of living so close to Andrew once William becomes king. Sources also said the couple were disappointed that Andrew’s recent public statement had not acknowledged Epstein’s victims.

The Telegraph has reported that the queen was also involved in the decision to remove Andrew’s titles due to concerns that his public image might undermine her work supporting survivors of sexual abuse.

The palace has stressed that the king acted with the full support of the wider royal family.

Although Charles is likely to ensure his brother receives private financial support, Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will make separate arrangements. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will retain their titles under the terms of King George V’s 1917 letters patent.

The palace’s announcement comes after two difficult weeks of negotiations following Andrew’s declaration that he would voluntarily stop using his titles. Palace insiders say the decisive action was prompted by what they described as severe lapses in judgment relating to his connection with Epstein.

One key factor was Giuffre’s memoir Nobody’s Girl, published after her death and serialised in the Guardian. The book repeated her allegation — which Andrew vehemently denies — that she was forced into sexual encounters with him on three occasions while trafficked by Epstein. The palace stated this week that the measures taken against Andrew were necessary “notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations”.

Public pressure had been intensifying, with MPs calling for parliamentary debate and the public accounts committee posing formal questions about Andrew’s 75-year lease on Royal Lodge.

Despite the king’s actions, Andrew remains eighth in the line of succession, a position that cannot be changed without new legislation. He also technically remains a counsellor of state, though parliament has previously been assured that only working royals can act in that capacity.

Andrew’s lease on Royal Lodge was reportedly “cast-iron,” and he agreed to relinquish it only after extensive negotiations. The formalities surrounding the surrender are expected to proceed as swiftly as possible.

Both Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace declined to comment.

Source : The Guardian

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