It is understood that Buckingham Palace believes there have been “serious lapses” in Andrew’s judgment, ITV News’ Royal Editor Chris Ship and Political Editor Robert Peston report
The King has begun the formal process of stripping Prince Andrew of his titles and has served him notice to leave his Windsor home, Buckingham Palace said.
He will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
It is understood that the King initiated the move with the support of Prince William, and private factors, including welfare, were key in the decision.
Buckingham Palace said Andrew agreed to leave Royal Lodge as his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to cause controversy.
Although Andrew denies the accusations, Buckingham Palace considers that there have been serious lapses of judgment, it is understood.
Andrew will move to a property on the Sandringham Estate, it is understood, and any future accommodation will be privately funded by the King.
The move will take effect as soon as practicable, with Andrew set to receive an appropriate private provision from the King.
Any other sources of income will be a matter for the former duke.
The King’s brother has come under increasing pressure following revelations in the posthumous memoir of Andrew’s sex accuser, Virginia Giuffre.
Calls intensified for Andrew to give up his Royal Lodge home in Windsor Great Park after it emerged he paid a “peppercorn rent” – a token amount that typically exists only to ensure the lease is valid – for more than 20 years.
Andrew had sought to draw a line under years of controversy by giving up his royal title and honours earlier this month, following “continued allegations” against him in relation to Epstein.
But the prince, who strenuously denies the allegations, was instead swamped by criticism focused on the property he has lived in effectively rent-free since 2003.
In a statement, Ms Giuffre’s family said it was the “truth and extraordinary courage” of an “ordinary American girl” which “brought down a British prince”.
It continued: “Virginia Roberts Guiffre – our sister – a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew – never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her.
“Today, she declares a victory.
“We, her family, along with her survivor sisters, continue Virginia’s battle and will not rest until the same accountability applies to all of her abusers and abetters connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislane Maxwell.”
Announcing the removal of Andrew’s title, Buckingham Palace added that the King’s “thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will also move out of the Royal Lodge and will sort her own living arrangements.
There have been reports that William wanted his uncle’s situation resolved quickly and for him to vacate Royal Lodge by Bonfire Night – 5 November – as the Prince is due to move his young family to their forever home at Forest Lodge, near Andrew’s home, in the coming days.
This all comes a day after Parliament’s spending watchdog raised concerns over the value for money of Andrew’s living arrangements after he stepped down as a working member of the Royal family.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) wrote to the Treasury and the Crown Estate on Wednesday, asking them to explain the rationale behind the lease on the 30-room mansion by November 28.
Meanwhile, US Democratic Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, who has previously called for Andrew to testify before a Congressional committee about his links to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to “clear his name,” has renewed calls for him to give evidence.
“It’s clear that Prince Andrew has information about Epstein’s crimes and he must do more than just give up titles or hide from the public spotlight,” he said in a statement.
“He owes it to the victims to share everything he knows about Epstein’s criminal operation and come before the Oversight Committee.”
The King has long been said to have tried to encourage his younger brother, who lived in the home with his ex-wife, Ferguson, to move out, but Andrew signed a watertight 75-year lease on the property in 2003.
His leasehold agreement revealed he paid £1 million for the lease and that since then he paid “one peppercorn” of rent “if demanded” a year.
He was also required to pay a further £7.5 million for refurbishments completed in 2005, according to a report by the National Audit Office.
This is the Talking Royals – our weekly podcast about the royal family, with ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship and Producer Lizzie Robinson
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.itv.com ’
