British politicians, Press and the public welcomed King Charles’ banishment of Andrew from public life yesterday after the monarch acted to shield the institution from his younger brother’s ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Charles stripped Andrew of his title of prince and evicted him from his mansion in the grounds of Windsor Castle on Thursday, responding to the outrage that had built around the royal over years of damaging headlines about his behaviour.
The decision by the king, who is still undergoing regular treatment for cancer, amounts to one of the most dramatic moves against a member of the royal family in modern British history. It reflects a desire to protect the monarchy as it has been losing support among younger Britons.
Andrew’s defenestration made headlines across the world, particularly in Commonwealth countries like Australia, Canada and New Zealand where Charles is head of state.
The palace said the censures were needed even though Andrew has continued to deny the allegations made against him.
“Their 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 said.
In 2022, Andrew settled a lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre, who died in April by suicide, that accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager after being introduced by Epstein.
Andrew had in a BBC interview in 2019 denied ever meeting her. Her account, which he still denies, returned to prominence with the publication of her memoir this month.
British newspapers, which have splashed details of Andrew’s links with Epstein and his financial affairs on their front pages for weeks, welcomed the palace’s move, with the Daily Mail saying simply “Banished” and the Daily Mirror saying “Finally”.
In Britain, the leaders of the opposition Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties welcomed the announcement and Labour minister Chris Bryant said the government backed the king’s decision following the “abuse of trust”.
When the BBC interrupted a political panel show to announce the news, the audience broke out in applause.
Major news networks in Australia ran opinion polls and spoke to Australians on the streets. Many commended King Charles’ decision but expressed concern about the impact these scandals had on the monarchy.
With polls showing that younger people do not warm to the royal family, experts said Charles, 76, had sought to protect the ancient institution, removing his younger brother who had long been accused of displaying a sense of entitlement.
But royal commentator Afua Hagan said the damage had already been done by the years it had taken Buckingham Palace to take strong action against Andrew. “I don’t know if it will be enough to win people back over,” she said.
A palace source said while Andrew continued to deny the accusations against him, it was clear that there had been serious lapses of judgment. The source said the decision had been taken by Charles but that he had the support of the wider family, including heir-to-the-throne Prince William.
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