Copyright standard
Politicians from across the aisle have backed the King’s decision to strip Prince Andrew of his titles and Royal Lodge residence. Buckingham Palace said Andrew has agreed to leave his 30-room Windsor mansion, after an outcry over the “peppercorn rent” he has paid for more than 20 years. The monarchy has faced mounting pressure to take action as public fury over Andrew’s links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein was fuelled by revelations in the posthumous memoir of his sex accuser Virginia Giuffre. Andrew sought to draw a line under years of controversy by announcing earlier this month that he would stop using his Duke of York title. The King has now begun the formal process of removing his brother’s titles and honours. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said it is a “brave, important and right” step, and sends a “powerful message” to abuse survivors. The Government minister told BBC Question Time: “I really support the step that he’s taken. “I think (it’s) a very powerful message to the victims of grooming and sex offences. I used to work with children who’d been abused before I came into Parliament, including many of the girls who’d been horrifically abused by grooming gangs. “I read some of the testimony from some of the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, not just at the time, but recently, with news stories that have come to light. “And I think, you know, given the new information that we have, I think this is a really brave, important and right step by the King, and I fully support it.” Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said Charles is doing the “absolutely right” thing. He added: “It’s clear that Andrew’s position had become totally untenable, having disgraced his office and embarrassed the country. “This is an important step towards rebuilding trust in our institutions and drawing a line under this whole sorry saga.” The Lib Dems had urged the Government to make time for a debate on Andrew’s Royal Lodge lease in Parliament. He has lived there on a peppercorn rent since 2003, although he paid £1 million for the lease and a further £7.5 million for refurbishments. But Downing Street last week said MPs would not be given time in the House of Commons to discuss his conduct because the royal family wanted Parliament to focus on “important issues”. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said it must have been “very difficult” for the King to take the steps against his sibling, but that it was right for the public not to tolerate sexual abuse allegations. Speaking on an LBC Radio phone-in, she said: “I’ve been following this story more about a family. It’s a very sad state of affairs. “I think that the King has clearly felt that this is the right decision for the royal family. It must have been a very difficult thing for him to have done. I mean, having to do that to your own brother. “But the standards and expectations in society now are very high. People expect to see the very highest levels of integrity. “And I’m afraid the whole Jeffrey Epstein saga and everyone it has touched, from Prince Andrew to Peter Mandelson, has just shown that the public has no truck whatsoever with any kind of sexual abuse, sexual offences, especially of minors. And I think that that’s quite right.” The leader of the Scottish National Party in Westminster, Stephen Flynn, said on X: “The right decision and an important moment for the victims of Epstein. “I hope all those who were elected to Parliament and chose to defend inaction rather than speak out now regret the choice they made.” The SNP had put forward a motion to create a new law to formally strip Andrew of his dukedom. Andrew vehemently denies the late Ms Giuffre’s allegations that she was forced to have sex with him three times, including when she was 17, and also during an orgy after she was trafficked by Epstein.
