Palace Begins Process to Strip Prince Andrew

Buckingham Palace has begun a formal process to remove Prince Andrew's royal styles and titles and has served notice for him to surrender the lease on the 30-room Royal Lodge; reports say he will be styled Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. He is to relocate to private accommodation on the King’s Sandringham estate, with the move likely postponed until after Christmas, and he will remain in the line of succession. As part of a reported relocation settlement, Andrew could receive a one-off payment of roughly £500,000–£550,000 plus an annual stipend from the King’s private funds, supplementing his £20,000-a-year navy pension. The potential payout is reportedly linked to lease terms after Andrew paid more than £8m up front to rent and renovate Royal Lodge in 2003 and may reflect reclaimable costs if he leaves within 25 years. Downing Street said the government was consulted, that there are no plans to remove him from the succession, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed support for the King while offering sympathy to victims. The move and reported settlement have prompted public and family backlash, calls to remove local honours, and criticism from survivors’ families, highlighting reputational damage to the royal family.