King Charles orders the stripping of Prince Andrew’s military title

Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed that the formal process to revoke Prince Andrew’s honorary naval rank has begun, emphasizing that “the King himself requested this action, and it is now being implemented in coordination with ministers.”

Healey added: “In the Ministry of Defence, as in all areas of government, we follow the King’s lead. Prince Andrew has already relinquished his other honorary positions, and we are now working to remove his final title.”

According to The Guardian, King Charles’s decision is part of a broader effort to minimize damage to the royal family’s reputation after mounting public outrage over Andrew’s association with Epstein. Last week, Charles also revoked Andrew’s royal title and ordered him to vacate his luxury residence.

The Duke of York, who stepped back from most of his military duties in 2022, had retained his honorary rank of Admiral of the Royal Navy until now.

Buckingham Palace issued a statement confirming that a legal process has begun to remove all of Andrew’s ceremonial titles and privileges, under direct instruction from the King.

The unprecedented royal decree follows growing public pressure in the U.K. regarding Andrew’s involvement with Epstein — the American financier and convicted sex trafficker who was imprisoned in 2019 for soliciting sex from a minor.

Observers note that the King’s move marks the first time in modern British history that such sweeping titles have been stripped from a senior royal. The last comparable case dates back to 1936, when King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, sparking a constitutional crisis.