King Charles to strip Andrew of royal titles, residence: palace

Britain's Prince Andrew, Duke of York leaves after attending the coronations of Britain's King Charles III and Britain's Camilla, Queen Consort, at Westminster Abbey in central London on May 6, 2023. [AFP]

King Charles will strip his younger brother Andrew of his royal titles and long-term residence on the Windsor estate, the palace said in a statement on Thursday.

The announcement followed fresh outrage at accusations made by one of Jeffrey Epstein's main accusers against the 65-year-old, who has denied the charges.

"His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew," it said.

"Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor," it said.

Andrew has also been told to move out of his long-time home on Windsor Castle's sprawling grounds, 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," the palace said.

"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 palace said.

It comes days after the publication of Virginia Giuffre's memoir, in which the victim of US sex offender Epstein reiterated in shocking detail allegations she had sex with Andrew three times, including when she was only 17.

The prince, who denies any wrongdoing, agreed to pay US and Australian citizen Giuffre millions of dollars in 2022 to end her civil sexual assault case against him.

She took her own life in April, aged 41, while Epstein took his own life in 2019 in prison awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.