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King Charles finally decided to take decisive action agains Andrew's Royal existence after facing public confrontation regarding his brother's sex scandal. The monarch terminated Andrew's privileged lifestyle after recognising widespread public disgust over the series of sordid accusations made against him. The controversy surrounding his association with deceased billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted paedophile, had intensified dramatically in recent days, alongside claims he sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre following the release of her posthumous memoir. Andrew refutes all accusations. Following discussions with Prince William and other relatives, Charles ordered the most severe and extraordinary measures to remove Andrew of all titles, accolades and Royal privileges, including his residence at the 30-bedroom Royal Lodge estate in Windsor, to demonstrate clearly "that he had understood and listened to the people", a Royal insider has disclosed, reports the Mirror . This followed a visit to Staffordshire for an official duty at Lichfield Cathedral on Monday, where a member of the public shouted at the King, demanding to know how long he had been aware of Andrew's connection to Epstein, and questioning whether he had requested police to "cover up" for his disgraced sibling. While the King chose not to respond to the demonstrator, who was confronted by numerous Royal supporters, the monarch is believed to have been profoundly troubled that public sentiment had reached boiling point amid the continuing controversy surrounding the former Duke of York. Crowds of admirers had gathered to greet the King at the Cathedral. In footage captured at the scene, the solitary protestor called out: "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?". On Thursday evening, as mounting pressure from MPs and the public intensified following Charles's encounter with the lone demonstrator, Buckingham Palace revealed the King would commence proceedings to strip Andrew of his titles. It was simultaneously disclosed he would relocate to the private Sandringham estate following increasing demands for him to vacate Royal Lodge after it came to light he was paying a "peppercorn" rent. A Royal insider revealed: "The King has judged the public mood and acted swiftly. The situation could simply not be allowed to carry for one day longer, simply enough was enough. This was his way of saying he understood and had listened to the people." In the remarkable Palace announcement last night, it was verified that the King, who was seen today behind the wheel of his vehicle at Sandringham, had begun the official procedure to strip Andrew of all his titles and honours. Today, a significant development occurred as the Palace confirmed that Andrew's name has been officially removed from the roll of the peerage. Dukes, including the Duke of York, are included on the peerage roll maintained at the Crown Office, and Lord Chancellor David Lammy is in charge of its upkeep. Mr Lammy, who also serves as Justice Secretary, was expected to receive Royal warrants from the King to remove the Duke from the roll, along with his Prince title and HRH style. This indicates that an Act of Parliament will not be necessary to formally strip Andrew of his titles, which also encompass Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh. His daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will remain unaffected by any alterations. The decision comes as Downing Street announced that Prime Minister Keir Starmer "fully supports" the King's choice to revoke Andrew's titles. A No10 spokesperson informed reporters that the Government's thoughts are with Virginia Giuffre's family and all victims of Jeffrey Epstein's "despicable crimes". They stated: "We fully support the decision taken yesterday by the Palace. Our hearts go out to the family of Virginia Giuffre and all the victims who suffered from Jeffrey Epstein's despicable crimes. "We echo the statement yesterday and our thoughts and utmost sympathies have been and will remain with the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse." But despite Andrew now having commoner status and only being known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, his biography still remains on the official Royal Family website and he is still eighth in line to the throne - behind Prince Harry's children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Andrew also retains his counsellor of state status, which allows him to step in for the monarch and carry out their duties on a temporary basis as a counsellor of state in case of illness or overseas travel. However, it has previously been said only "working members" of the Royal family, such as Prince William, Princess Anne and Prince Edward would step in to perform this role if needed. Meanwhile, it has emerged that Andrew might not relocate from Royal Lodge to Sandringham until after Christmas, due to the complex process of relinquishing his residence. Sandringham in Norfolk hosts the customary Christmas celebrations for Royal family members and the postponement will ensure any possible confrontation with Andrew during the holiday season is prevented. Andrew will relocate to a confidential property on the King's Sandringham estate, with the housing privately financed by the King, who will also provide private monetary support for his brother. The former prince possessed a "cast-iron" lease for his Royal Lodge residence and only following discussions with the King's representatives did he consent to serve formal notice on Thursday to relinquish the lease, which had more than 50 years remaining. However, the procedures involved in relinquishing the lease and other formalities bear some resemblance to property purchasing, which can be a lengthy process. Despite this, it is believed that matters are progressing as swiftly as possible.
