The curtain has officially closed on Prince Andrew’s royal chapter.

In a move as unprecedented as it is decisive, King Charles has stripped his brother, Prince Andrew, of all royal titles, including the prestigious designations of “Prince” and “His Royal Highness.” Buckingham Palace confirmed this significant decision on October 30, marking a definitive step by the monarchy to distance itself from Andrew in light of ongoing controversies.

In an official statement, Buckingham Palace announced, “His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles, and Honours of Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.”

This decision effectively means that the 65-year-old Duke of York will lose all his lifelong honors. These include his memberships in the Order of the Garter and as a Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order. Additionally, he will vacate his long-standing residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor, which has been his home for many years.

The palace further elaborated, “His lease on Royal Lodge has, until now, provided him with legal protection to remain in residence. Formal notice has now been issued to surrender the lease, and he will relocate to alternative private accommodation. These actions are considered necessary, despite his ongoing denial of the allegations against him.”

The statement concluded with a message of support for victims of abuse: “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.”

According to People, the decision was made solely by King Charles using his Royal Prerogative — the monarch’s authority to revoke or grant royal titles without the approval of Parliament. Palace insiders told the outlet that the decision was fully supported by the royal family, including Prince William, and came after what the King reportedly viewed as “serious lapses in judgment” on Andrew’s part.

Andrew has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct and wrongdoing, but his reputation was severely damaged following his association with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He stepped back from royal duties in 2019 and largely retreated from public life, but until now, he had retained his royal styling and titles.

The last time a member of the British royal family was formally stripped of titles was more than a century ago, under the Titles Deprivation Act of 1917, when Prince Ernest Augustus — a German-born British prince — lost his honors for swearing allegiance to Germany during World War I. Even King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in 1936, was not stripped of his royal title but instead granted the title Duke of Windsor by his brother, King George VI.

Prince Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their titles as grandchildren of a monarch.