Pressure is mounting on Prince Andrew, the disgraced brother of King Charles III, as scrutiny intensifies over his living arrangements, royal titles, and involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. In a dramatic turn of events, Andrew recently announced that he would no longer use his royal titles, including the Duke of York, marking a historic moment for the British royal family. This comes amid ongoing negotiations with King Charles III about vacating his lavish 30-room Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate—a residence he has called home for more than two decades.
The controversy surrounding Prince Andrew’s occupancy of Royal Lodge exploded into public view after revelations that he effectively paid no rent for 22 years. According to The Times and Daily Mail, the arrangement stemmed from a 2003 deal in which Andrew paid £1 million (about $1.3 million) for a 75-year lease on the Crown Estate property, followed by £7.5 million (about $9.9 million) for renovations two years later. However, the lease required him to pay annual rent only upon request—a detail that did not escape critics. The agreement also included a clause entitling Andrew to approximately £558,000 ($743,000) if he ended the lease early. When it emerged that key details of the lease were omitted from the version filed with the Land Registry, public outrage intensified.
Adding fuel to the fire, Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who still lives with him at Royal Lodge, came under fire herself after a 2011 email surfaced in which she referred to Epstein as her “best friend.” Several charities subsequently severed ties with Ferguson, further tarnishing the couple’s public image. According to Daily Mail, Prince Andrew and Ferguson are now reportedly demanding the former homes of Princes William and Harry in exchange for agreeing to leave Royal Lodge.
This wave of criticism comes just days after the publication of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, The Girl Who Knew Too Much. Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most prominent accusers, reiterated in shocking detail her allegations of having had sexual encounters with Andrew three times, including when she was only 17. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing. In 2022, he reached a confidential settlement with Giuffre, agreeing to pay her millions of dollars to end her civil sexual assault case. Tragically, Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025, while Epstein himself took his own life in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
Giuffre’s memoir also revealed that while Andrew was hiding at Balmoral Castle, his team allegedly tried to hire internet trolls to harass her—a claim that has only intensified public scrutiny of the prince’s actions and the royal family’s response. The book offers a rare glimpse into the hidden mechanisms of royal influence and the lengths to which Andrew’s team allegedly went to protect his reputation.
As reported by AFP and The Sunday Times, the pressure on Andrew is coming from multiple directions. Some lawmakers are actively pushing for a parliamentary motion to formally strip him of his Duke of York title, despite his recent announcement to stop using it. Such a debate would be unprecedented in modern times, and while it is unlikely to be legally binding, it would significantly increase pressure on both the king and the government to act. The centrist Liberal Democrat party, which holds 72 seats in the House of Commons, is among those demanding parliamentary scrutiny. “We need to explore all options... to ensure parliament can scrutinise this properly, from Prince Andrew’s residence at Royal Lodge to his dukedom,” a party source told AFP. “It’s right that we’re led by the king on this, and if parliament does have to act, we hope it can be hand-in-hand with the Palace.”
Meanwhile, speculation is rife that King Charles III may force his younger brother out of Royal Lodge as part of a broader effort to restore public trust in the monarchy. British newspapers have described the situation as a “pincer movement from parliament and Buckingham Palace to strip him of his dukedom and banish him” from Windsor. According to The Sunday Times, Andrew may agree to move out if offered financial compensation and a suitable alternative home. He is said to be negotiating for a residence in or near Windsor, or closer to London, where his daughters reside.
The situation is further complicated by reports that Prince William and his family are set to move into a new residence near Royal Lodge and want Andrew to leave beforehand. This has added a personal dimension to the negotiations, as the heir to the throne seeks to establish his own household while distancing himself from his scandal-plagued uncle.
For the royal family, the stakes could hardly be higher. The last time a senior royal voluntarily relinquished a ducal title was over a century ago, when Queen Victoria’s grandson, the Duke of Albany, was stripped of his title in 1917 for siding with Germany during World War I. The current crisis, however, is playing out under the harsh glare of modern media and public opinion, making it a test not only of royal protocol but also of the monarchy’s ability to adapt to changing expectations of transparency and accountability.
As the story unfolds, all eyes are on King Charles III and the British Parliament. Will they take decisive action to resolve the controversy, or will the saga drag on, further eroding public confidence in the royal institution? One thing is clear: the fallout from Prince Andrew’s scandals has forced a reckoning within the royal family, with implications that extend far beyond the walls of Windsor Castle.
For now, the fate of Prince Andrew—and the future of Royal Lodge—hangs in the balance, as Britain’s monarchy faces one of its most challenging chapters in recent memory.
