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King Charles III stripped his younger brother Prince Andrew of his title and ordered him to vacate Royal Lodge in an effort to save the monarchy, which could be “too little, too late,” royal experts warn.
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard weighed in, telling Fox News Digital the royal family is “hanging onto their reputation for dear life.”
The decision comes three days after the king was heckled at a cathedral, which left him “deeply rattled,” amid mounting pressure from the public.
King Charles III stripped his younger brother Prince Andrew of his title and ordered him to vacate Royal Lodge in an effort to save the monarchy, which could be “too little, too late,” royal experts warn. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images; Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
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While King Charles hopes that with the move, the focus will be back on the work he hopes to accomplish, royal media commentator Meredith Constant said, “Is it too little too late? There are still calls for investigations into how much senior royals knew about the trouble Andrew was in.”
Constant believes the impact on the monarchy will be two-fold, with staunch monarchists taking it as a “sign of the King taking the strongest possible action against his younger brother,” and some members of the public further questioning the role of a monarchy in modern times.
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital: “King Charles III initiated this with immense pressure from Prince William but also from his own experience on Monday of being heckled, which left him ‘deeply rattled’ by the heckler at Lichfield Cathedral.”
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The heckler questioned him over Andrew’s ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, shouting: “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein? Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew? Should MPs be allowed to debate the royals in the House of Commons?”
Fordwich weighed in on the public’s view of King Charles after his decision, saying that he will ‘now regain some respect for this swift move.”
Fordwich called the decision to strip a prince “unprecedented,” with King Charles focused on not wanting to “waste Parliament’s time.”
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard weighed in, telling Fox News Digital the royal family is “hanging onto their reputation for dear life.” (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
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“King Charles has not had the reign he envisioned. He waited an unprecedented 70+ years to take the throne, and his first full year was largely out of the public eye, battling cancer. He is surely considering his legacy, one that he hopes will not be tainted by his younger brother,” Constant added.
“Andrew is definitely toast!” Chard said, noting that he will leave Royal Lodge and “disappear.”
“The British Royal family are hanging on their reputation for dear life and will not allow their entitled rogue family member, Andrew to further tarnish/blacken their name and that of the Monarchy,” Chard said.
Chard called Andrew’s final royal standing and status gone in a heartbeat “much to everyone’s relief.”
However, Chard believes King Charles regrets not stripping him of his title sooner: “I’m pretty sure King Charles wishes he had nipped the Prince Andrew problem in the bud far quicker.”
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The British broadcaster also predicted that “there will be further unsettling tawdry Andrew revelations dropping soon.”
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner agrees, noting that Andrew is “apparently moving to a property on the Sandringham estate” despite wanting to go to Adelaide Cottage.
Sandringham will keep Andrew, 65, away from the public eye but “close to” King Charles, especially at Christmas, Turner explained.
It will also keep him away from Prince William and Princess Catherine, Fordwich said, who are moving on to the Windsor estate.
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The British broadcaster also predicted that “there will be further unsettling tawdry Andrew revelations dropping soon.” (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
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Turner says while it’s too soon to see how it will affect the monarchy, “most people are relieved that the initial stage has happened,” with King Charles seen by the public as stamping his authority as King.
“My initial reaction is that this had to happen,” Turner said. “Allegedly a large cross-party of members of Parliament were seeking to create a one-minute bill to do the job for Charles if he could not make up his mind.”
Turner said Prince William “no doubt” played a “major part” in his title being stripped, and keeping him out of Adelaide cottage because King Charles’ eldest son does not want Andrew as his next-door neighbor.
However, Sandringham may be still be an issue, since it’s where the royals spend their Christmas.
One expert says Prince William “no doubt” played a “major part” in Andrew’s title being stripped, and keeping him out of Adelaide cottage because King Charles’ eldest son does not want Andrew as his next-door neighbor. (Getty Images)
Rachael Maskell, member of Parliament representing York, said: “Out of deference for the victims and survivors of the horrors that occurred through the associate of the King’s brother, Jeffrey Epstein, it is right that he is being stripped of his titles, privileges and grace and favor home.”
Maskell added that “it cannot be right that His Majesty, the King continues to be heckled.”
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King Charles III initiated a formal process to remove the style, titles and honors of Prince Andrew, who will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, per Buckingham Palace’s statement on Thursday.
“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,” the statement read.
“The censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.”
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson married at Westminster Abbey in July 1986. Ferguson will also reportedly be leaving the Royal Lodge. (John Shelley Collection/Avalon/Getty Images)
The announcement came less than two weeks after Andrew announced he was relinquishing his Duke of York title after British author Andrew Lownie published an unauthorized biography called “Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York.”
Andrew is the second-youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and has held his title of prince since he was born in 1960.
His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who has already lost her title of Duchess of York, will also be leaving the Royal Lodge and plans to make her own arrangements for where to live, the BBC reported.
Their children, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, will keep their titles.
“The 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,” the statement from the palace concluded.
Their children, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, will keep their titles. (Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
Andrew was sued by Epstein victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who died earlier this year by suicide at age 41.
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Giuffre claimed she was forced to have sex with him three times, including when she was 17 years old — a claim she repeated in her posthumous memoir “Nobody’s Girl.”
He settled out of court with her for millions, never admitting any wrongdoing and denying her allegations.