LONDON

Prince Andrew, King Charles' brother, will lose his prince title and leave Royal Lodge home near Windsor Castle amid growing pressure over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

"Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor," Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Thursday, as the king has initiated a formal process "to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew."

His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence, it noted, adding that formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation.

"These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him," said the palace.

The BBC reported that Andrew will move to a property on the private Sandringham estate in Norfolk, to be privately funded by the king.

Andrew, 65, withdrew from royal duties in 2019 after his connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein became public. In 2022, he settled a civil lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre, an American who accused Epstein of trafficking her to Andrew when she was 17.

Giuffre died earlier this year, and her forthcoming posthumous memoir reportedly includes new claims involving Andrew.

Earlier this month, he gave up his other royal titles, including the Duke of York, amid growing allegations about his relationship with Epstein.

Andrew has consistently denied the allegations, and the settlement included no admission of liability.