EXCLUSIVE: JENNIE BOND: 'Queen insisted on unexpected role in Andrew humiliation - she's totally right'
EXCLUSIVE: Prince Andrew has been stripped of his royal titles and will be moving out of the Royal Lodge, and the Queen made her thoughts clear in a telling palace statement
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is under increasing scrutiny and public backlash due to his links with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and claims he sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre. Despite vehemently denying the accusations, the revelation that he paid virtually no rent on the Royal Lodge for over two decades has made his position untenable.
This week, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles is legally in the process of formally stripping his younger brother of his royal titles and that Andrew will be vacating his residence at Royal Lodge. The disgraced duke had previously expressed willingness to give up his titles, but the King has taken matters further by officially removing them.
It's understood that Andrew will be leaving his home at Royal Lodge, where he held a 75-year "iron-clad" lease, to relocate to the monarch's private Sandringham estate. In a bombshell statement, Buckingham Palace said: "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."
Amid Andrew's downward spiral, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond has commented on the palace statement, noting Queen Camilla's stance on the matter.
The expert exclusively told the Mirror: "Andrew has sullied the family name, which is now the only name he has, and the poison was seeping into the monarchy’s reputation at home and abroad. The King has acted to protect the monarchy and to show undiluted support for the victims of abuse.
"It is extremely significant that the statement included the views of Camilla as well as the King. She has worked tirelessly to support women – and men – who have suffered domestic and sexual abuse. Quite rightly, she wanted it to be known that her thoughts and sympathies – like the King’s – have always been and remain with those who have suffered any form of abuse."
In reference to the scandal, Jennie added: "In my view, this has been the biggest royal crisis since the Abdication. Even then, King Edward V111 relinquished the throne because of love - a noble cause, you could argue.
"Andrew has been stripped of his titles, booted out of his home and publicly humiliated because he has become caught up in a sordid scandal of sex trafficking and child abuse – even though he has consistently denied all the allegations.
"Whatever the truth, the King felt that his brother’s dire lack of judgement – over his continued friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and his decision to lie when questioned about it on the BBC Newsnight programme – deserved to be censured."