Why Prince Andrew Likely Won't Lose His Title Amid Epstein Scandal
The relationship between King Charles and his younger brother Prince Andrew is most definitely a complicated one. The Duke of York's association with disgraced but also dead financier Jeffrey Epstein has been hanging like a dark cloud over the royal family. Prince Andrew has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, but still reportedly settled with his accuser Virginia Giuffre for a large but also undisclosed sum of money.
The royal was accused of sexually assaulting Giuffre when she was just 17, as detailed by The Guardian. If that weren't enough, King Charles had tried to evict Prince Andrew from the Royal Lodge and downsize him to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's old pad at Frogmore Cottage, but that hasn't happened as of this writing. The prince has made it pretty clear that he's going to stay where he is, even if the lights are turned off.
But despite Prince Andrew's name popping up numerous times in the unsealed Jeffrey Epstein documents, as he had spent a lot of time with both Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell over the years, per the New York Post, there's a highly unlikely chance that he will lose his royal title. His late mother Queen Elizabeth did trip him from his HRH title and his military honors, but that's about it. That's because having it taken away in the first place isn't as easy as some people think.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Prince Andrew unlikely to face a royal punishment
Taking away a royal title like "prince" isn't as easy as taking away a piece of candy. Even though the media can't seem to report about Jeffrey Epstein without mentioning Prince Andrew's name in the same sentence due to their association, it is unlikely that King Charles will strip his brother of his royal titles, according to People. That's because the King of England doesn't have the authorization to do so and not only that, but stripping a royal from his or her title is a very complicated matter.
Per Gert's Royals on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, the British Parliament has the right to do so and only if someone is guilty of a crime. So far that hasn't been the case with Prince Andrew. "Since there have never been any charges or conviction against Prince Andrew, in the eyes of the UK government he is innocent," they wrote.
There's also been a lot of talk about King Charles supposedly stripping Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of their royal titles but it's not like the Sussexes have been accused of doing anything wrong other than throwing their family members under the bus. And while Prince Andrew has been itching to get back into the royal spotlight, it might be a long time before that happens because he is currently the least-liked member of the royal family according to a survey, as detailed by Sky News. At least he still has the Royal Lodge to go home to — for now.