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News Topical, Digital Desk : Britain's King Charles has decided to strip his younger brother Andrew of his titles and honors. Andrew has also been expelled from his home. He will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Buckingham Palace said on Thursday that the move was due to Andrew's links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The statement said Andrew has now been given notice to vacate his residence, Royal Lodge, and will move to alternative private accommodation.

Who is Prince Andrew?

Andrew is the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth II and the younger brother of King Charles III. He was married to Sarah Ferguson. The Prince relinquished his title of Duke of York earlier this month. He has two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

He also served in the Royal Navy for 22 years and served as a helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands War. He later commanded the mine countermeasure ship HMS Cottesmore. His military roles were suspended in 2019 after he stepped down from public duty.

Why was Prince Andrew stripped of his royal title?

Andrew has recently faced increased pressure over his alleged relationship with Epstein. It is reported that Andrew first met Epstein in 1999 through the late financier's then-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. In 2008, Epstein was convicted in the United States of procuring a minor for prostitution and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Even after his conviction, the two were seen walking together in New York's Central Park in 2010. Andrew later said that the meeting ended their friendship. However, UK court documents released earlier this year revealed that in February 2011, an email was sent to Epstein from a member of the British Royal Family, reportedly from Andrew. It read, "Stay in touch and we'll be playing something else soon!!!!"

In August 2021, Giuffre filed a lawsuit against Andrew, accusing him of sexually assaulting her three times, including twice when she was 17. In her memoir, Nobody's Girl, published earlier this month, Giuffre wrote that Epstein trafficked her and forced her to have sex with Andrew three times.

In February 2022, a joint letter from Giuffre and Andrew's lawyers to a US court revealed that the two parties had reached an out-of-court settlement to resolve her civil case. Andrew agreed to pay an undisclosed sum without admitting any wrongdoing.

In January 2022, Queen Elizabeth II stripped Andrew of his military titles and royal patronages after he failed to have Giuffre's 2021 civil case dismissed.


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