October 30, 2025 • 12 mins
Buckingham Palace has announced that King Charles will remove all of his brother, Prince Andrew's, titles.
The statement from Buckingham Palace related the announcement to the allegations of sexual abuse by the late Virginia Giuffre.
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor's title will not be immediately stripped as UK Correspondent Gavin Grey said the process of removing his titles "will take some time".
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Kerry Wood of Morning's podcast from
News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
He'd be Prince Andrew, though is gone well as we
know him. Buckingham Pellas says confirmed this morning he's been
stripped of his royal title and he is to leave
Royal Lodge, which has been his home for twenty two years.
Kevin graz Are, UK correspondent, he's with us now, get
a Gavin good mind, John right? Can you tell us
(00:31):
how this unfolded in the last few hours.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yes, I think there was a gradual drip, of course
of pressure, I said Gratchel. There's been fifteen years of
stories about Prince Andrew and the disgraced sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein,
but things kind of came to your head in the
last few days when there were more and more revelations,
effectively saying that Prince Andrew had lied in that famous
(00:55):
interview with the BBC when he was questioned about those
claims of allegations of rape or of having sex with
a seventeen year old, which he absolutely strenuous denied at
the time and still denies, but then out and about
on a role visit earlier this week, the King was
seen to have been out and shaking hands with people
(01:18):
when somebody shouted at in how long have you known
about the Jeffrey Epstein Prince Andrew affair? And there was
that heckling. And although it was just one person, I
think that led to a chain of events which meant
that the king has had to act, and act he
has lots of people thought that Prince Andrew would not
be able to stay at Role Lodge anymore. But more
than that, the king has now decided he will be
(01:41):
stripped of all his titles, including Prince and Well, you've
got to go a long way back in the history
books John to see anyone else being stripped of that
particular title.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Yeah, can you remember when it last happened?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Well, I mean we're looking actually at probably you know,
the most important turning points of the royal family. Some
are comparing this to the abdication in nineteen thirty six
of Edwards the Eighth. We have to go back to
what looks like nineteen seventeen when actually a couple of
people were stripped of the title of prince. One of
them was the Duke of Cumberland, we think, and that
(02:16):
was for fighting for Germany in World War One so
effectively on charges of treason for fighting for the enemy.
So you have to go, you know, that distance back
in order to see this, and also if you actually
look at history as well, you've got to go, you know,
to the very first time anyone was stripped of being
(02:38):
such a title of a prince or princess, the first
example of that. We're actually the daughters of Henry the eighth.
So you're going back hundreds of years for presidents like this,
and that's why I think it's been quite so shocking.
And of course behind this, absolutely behind this is a
family and trying to compartmentalize the royal family and the
(02:59):
institution with family life is just going to be extremely
difficult in the future. And Heaven alone knows how those
two brothers, King Charles and the once Prince Andrew are
going to be carrying out and conducting any sort of
brotherly love as it were. After that.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah, there might be not getting together this Christmas? Anyway.
Can you tell me does this happen straight away or
does he get to enjoy being a prince for a
little bit longer. How's it work? How does it work?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Yep, he's going to have the title of Prince for
a bit longer until all the various bits of paper
are brought into places. If we were told it couldn't
be done, which is why two weeks ago when he
gave up the title of the Duke of York and
Sarah Ferguson, his ex wife, gave up the Duchess of
York because that was in the power of the king.
But we were then told no, can't take his title
(03:54):
of prince away from him because that has to go
through Parliament, and parliament's very busy and we don't want
to waste any time. All of a sudden, it looks
like actually they are going to do that, and it
doesn't need to be an incredibly long process, but it
will take some time to do. What won't take long
is getting Andrew effectively evicted from Royal Lodge, his massive
(04:16):
thirty roomed building home near Windsor Castle, and it looks
like that he's going to be moving out now in
the next few days and he's going to go and
live at Sandringham. Sandringham, to the east of England, is
the royal family's private dwelling. It has nothing to do
with the taxpayer, and it looks like that the Royal family,
(04:37):
the King is going to be paying all his bills,
going to be paying the move, going to be sorting
him out, and therefore won't be open to accusations that
the taxpayer is still funding somebody that they shouldn't be.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
What do we know about I was going to call
him Prince, We're still can What do we know about
Andrew's ability to support himself financially?
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Yeah, I think that's going to be very dubious, which
is why in the past we've seen these pretty seedy
stories of Sarah Ferguson, as I said, ex wife, but
they're still incredibly close and currently lived together, caught on
a newspaper sting trying to sell access to Prince Andrew
(05:18):
and money has always been very difficult for her, But
it's actually not been great for Prince Andrew. The only
advantages that he has had this magnificent house, surrounded by
luxurious gardens and surroundings, opulent surroundings, and he's had it
on a peppercorn rent quite literally, very very cheap, having
paid a significant sum of money roughly twenty million New
(05:39):
Zealand dollars when he first took it over twenty years ago.
In order for some important work to be done, building
work to be done on that particular house. So I
think that's going to be something that will come in
quite quickly and we'll see him leaving their relatively quickly.
That I think one of the big interesting points here, John,
(06:01):
is how big a hand did Prince William have in
this It is known that they don't get on, Prince
Prince William and Prince Andrew. It's known that they don't
get on, But exactly did Prince William effectively steer the
king in this direction? How big a part was that playing?
And depending on who you talk to, you get very
(06:22):
different answers on that.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
How's it going down so far? Because I know it's
only a few hours old.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Yeah, very interesting that the BBC do an annual program
called question Time, which is a recorded program, but it
invites a selection of four or five politicians in front
of a studio audience. And they actually stopped the recording
to announce the news, and when the presenter read the
news out, people in the audience burst into applause. When
they continue the statement saying that the Royal Lodge will
(06:50):
be taken off Prince Andrew, they burst into applause again.
So I think you know if you go out on
the streets that you won't find many people really wanting
to support Prince Andrew. I must just stress again he
has denied despite paying over the money. If you're remember
when the queen was still alive, despite paying the money
to Virginia Dufrey became Virginia Roberts. He has said, you
(07:12):
know I didn't meet her. That photo is faked. I
am completely innocent of all these things against me, and
indeed the statement from bucking Palace today does mention that,
but it also says, and it's interesting, the very last
line of the statement shows quite noticeably how the King
and Queen are now making it very clear that there
(07:34):
and I quote her thoughts and utmost sympathies have been
and will remain with the victims and survivors of any
and all forms of abuse. So I think that last
line is very telling about Okay, Prince Andrew denies these wrongdoing,
but actually we need to show empathy and sympathy here
with the people who have suffered at the hands of abuses.
(07:56):
And I think that is a mark step change from
what we've been saying before.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Right, I just want a couple of other things, given
that technically he's saying Nan had nothing to say here,
I'm not guilty. Is there any mechanism or process where
he can appeal this.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
We believe he's not going to appeal this. We believe
that the decision was made with the King reading between
the lines there. Frankly, I think that means that the
King told Prince Andrew this is the way it's going
to be. But you know, again, depends who you ask
on that one. But that's my personal thought. That's that's
what's going to be happening here, Andrew, and you've got
(08:35):
to accept it kind of thing. But as well, John,
you know, there are others who are thinking, well, you know,
will this perhaps mean that we never see Andrew again.
I don't think we'll see him at any of the
normal events, that's for sure, But I dare say, you know,
he would still be invited to the family events. And
that's why I mentioned about the compartmentalizing of how difficult
(08:57):
it is the institution and the Royle family is so difficult.
But and this is the big butt. I don't think
we've heard at the end of the drip drip drippack
is as from the Epstein emails, the Epstein files as
it were. And indeed in America there's already a clamor
now for Prince Andrew to go and give evidence before
(09:18):
American politicians and testify to the US Congress over what
he knew about Jeffrey Epstein, which in the past, of course,
he's always declined to do, and it isn't compulsory that
he does attend. But this subject is not going to
go away. But does it put a sufficient firebreak between
the Royal family and Prince Andrew? And I think they're
(09:40):
thinking at the moment, yes, it probably does, but it's
still uncomfortable for the rest of the roles.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
But what about the public diye? I mean, is the
fact that this move has happened? Is that going to
be enough? Or are people still going to say that
the Royal family just dragged its heels for far too long?
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Yeah? I think that's the one accusation that can be
leveled against them, that the decision wasn't made earlier. That
having said, it would take a lot of parliamentary time
to clear to take away that the Prince the title
of prince all of a sudden, it looks like it's happening,
and it's not going to take long at all. We
were told as well he couldn't move out of the
house because he had a you know, cast iron guarantee,
(10:18):
a cast iron contract that couldn't be picked apart. Now
all of a sudden he is moving. So yeah, there's
lots of things I think that are going to be
looked at here. I just think there's going to be
lots of people who want to move on. Obviously the
royal family will want to move on, but I think
a lot of people are a bit sick of it
here as well in some respects Now this has happened,
that might just take the sting away. But you know what, John,
(10:41):
we don't know what else might come out of the
Epstein files. And if there's even more about Prince Andrew,
and if it's shown that during that interview, famous BBC
interview he lied over just you know, ever meeting Virginia Duprey,
then I think things could get a lot worse for him.
But I certainly don't think we're going to see him
(11:02):
out and about. Interestingly, I should just report that his
two daughters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice who are actually
very popular with Prince William, are very popular with the royals,
you know, are not being I was going to say,
not being tainted by this. Of course they're being tainted
by but they are going to keep their titles a princess,
(11:23):
and that is the one sort of saving grace which
I think Andrew will probably think, well, thank heavens, I've
protected them for at least that. But yeah, it's a
small comfort for a man who loves all the trappings
of royalty. He is. He just loves it. He attends
every event he can and loves the pomp and ceremony.
(11:43):
He loves the posted environment of being a senior royal.
He has a reputation for treating his staff poorly. He's
something he denies. But he's not the most popular among
apparently the domestic servants, and many will feel while that
old adage would be nice to people on your way up,
because you need them on your way down, there are
many people springing to his defense at the moment of.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Your time, very much, The UK correspondent Gavin Gray. Now,
before you start congratulating the king and saying well done,
well done, just remember this how long this has taken
and I think it is shameful it has taken this long.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
For more from Kerry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
news talks it Be from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Kerry Wood of Morning's podcast from
News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
He'd be Prince Andrew, though is gone well as we
know him. Buckingham Pellas says confirmed this morning he's been
stripped of his royal title and he is to leave
Royal Lodge, which has been his home for twenty two years.
Kevin graz Are, UK correspondent, he's with us now, get
a Gavin good mind, John right? Can you tell us
(00:31):
how this unfolded in the last few hours.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yes, I think there was a gradual drip, of course
of pressure, I said Gratchel. There's been fifteen years of
stories about Prince Andrew and the disgraced sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein,
but things kind of came to your head in the
last few days when there were more and more revelations,
effectively saying that Prince Andrew had lied in that famous
(00:55):
interview with the BBC when he was questioned about those
claims of allegations of rape or of having sex with
a seventeen year old, which he absolutely strenuous denied at
the time and still denies, but then out and about
on a role visit earlier this week, the King was
seen to have been out and shaking hands with people
(01:18):
when somebody shouted at in how long have you known
about the Jeffrey Epstein Prince Andrew affair? And there was
that heckling. And although it was just one person, I
think that led to a chain of events which meant
that the king has had to act, and act he
has lots of people thought that Prince Andrew would not
be able to stay at Role Lodge anymore. But more
than that, the king has now decided he will be
(01:41):
stripped of all his titles, including Prince and Well, you've
got to go a long way back in the history
books John to see anyone else being stripped of that
particular title.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Yeah, can you remember when it last happened?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Well, I mean we're looking actually at probably you know,
the most important turning points of the royal family. Some
are comparing this to the abdication in nineteen thirty six
of Edwards the Eighth. We have to go back to
what looks like nineteen seventeen when actually a couple of
people were stripped of the title of prince. One of
them was the Duke of Cumberland, we think, and that
(02:16):
was for fighting for Germany in World War One so
effectively on charges of treason for fighting for the enemy.
So you have to go, you know, that distance back
in order to see this, and also if you actually
look at history as well, you've got to go, you know,
to the very first time anyone was stripped of being
(02:38):
such a title of a prince or princess, the first
example of that. We're actually the daughters of Henry the eighth.
So you're going back hundreds of years for presidents like this,
and that's why I think it's been quite so shocking.
And of course behind this, absolutely behind this is a
family and trying to compartmentalize the royal family and the
(02:59):
institution with family life is just going to be extremely
difficult in the future. And Heaven alone knows how those
two brothers, King Charles and the once Prince Andrew are
going to be carrying out and conducting any sort of
brotherly love as it were. After that.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah, there might be not getting together this Christmas? Anyway.
Can you tell me does this happen straight away or
does he get to enjoy being a prince for a
little bit longer. How's it work? How does it work?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Yep, he's going to have the title of Prince for
a bit longer until all the various bits of paper
are brought into places. If we were told it couldn't
be done, which is why two weeks ago when he
gave up the title of the Duke of York and
Sarah Ferguson, his ex wife, gave up the Duchess of
York because that was in the power of the king.
But we were then told no, can't take his title
(03:54):
of prince away from him because that has to go
through Parliament, and parliament's very busy and we don't want
to waste any time. All of a sudden, it looks
like actually they are going to do that, and it
doesn't need to be an incredibly long process, but it
will take some time to do. What won't take long
is getting Andrew effectively evicted from Royal Lodge, his massive
(04:16):
thirty roomed building home near Windsor Castle, and it looks
like that he's going to be moving out now in
the next few days and he's going to go and
live at Sandringham. Sandringham, to the east of England, is
the royal family's private dwelling. It has nothing to do
with the taxpayer, and it looks like that the Royal family,
(04:37):
the King is going to be paying all his bills,
going to be paying the move, going to be sorting
him out, and therefore won't be open to accusations that
the taxpayer is still funding somebody that they shouldn't be.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
What do we know about I was going to call
him Prince, We're still can What do we know about
Andrew's ability to support himself financially?
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Yeah, I think that's going to be very dubious, which
is why in the past we've seen these pretty seedy
stories of Sarah Ferguson, as I said, ex wife, but
they're still incredibly close and currently lived together, caught on
a newspaper sting trying to sell access to Prince Andrew
(05:18):
and money has always been very difficult for her, But
it's actually not been great for Prince Andrew. The only
advantages that he has had this magnificent house, surrounded by
luxurious gardens and surroundings, opulent surroundings, and he's had it
on a peppercorn rent quite literally, very very cheap, having
paid a significant sum of money roughly twenty million New
(05:39):
Zealand dollars when he first took it over twenty years ago.
In order for some important work to be done, building
work to be done on that particular house. So I
think that's going to be something that will come in
quite quickly and we'll see him leaving their relatively quickly.
That I think one of the big interesting points here, John,
(06:01):
is how big a hand did Prince William have in
this It is known that they don't get on, Prince
Prince William and Prince Andrew. It's known that they don't
get on, But exactly did Prince William effectively steer the
king in this direction? How big a part was that playing?
And depending on who you talk to, you get very
(06:22):
different answers on that.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
How's it going down so far? Because I know it's
only a few hours old.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Yeah, very interesting that the BBC do an annual program
called question Time, which is a recorded program, but it
invites a selection of four or five politicians in front
of a studio audience. And they actually stopped the recording
to announce the news, and when the presenter read the
news out, people in the audience burst into applause. When
they continue the statement saying that the Royal Lodge will
(06:50):
be taken off Prince Andrew, they burst into applause again.
So I think you know if you go out on
the streets that you won't find many people really wanting
to support Prince Andrew. I must just stress again he
has denied despite paying over the money. If you're remember
when the queen was still alive, despite paying the money
to Virginia Dufrey became Virginia Roberts. He has said, you
(07:12):
know I didn't meet her. That photo is faked. I
am completely innocent of all these things against me, and
indeed the statement from bucking Palace today does mention that,
but it also says, and it's interesting, the very last
line of the statement shows quite noticeably how the King
and Queen are now making it very clear that there
(07:34):
and I quote her thoughts and utmost sympathies have been
and will remain with the victims and survivors of any
and all forms of abuse. So I think that last
line is very telling about Okay, Prince Andrew denies these wrongdoing,
but actually we need to show empathy and sympathy here
with the people who have suffered at the hands of abuses.
(07:56):
And I think that is a mark step change from
what we've been saying before.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Right, I just want a couple of other things, given
that technically he's saying Nan had nothing to say here,
I'm not guilty. Is there any mechanism or process where
he can appeal this.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
We believe he's not going to appeal this. We believe
that the decision was made with the King reading between
the lines there. Frankly, I think that means that the
King told Prince Andrew this is the way it's going
to be. But you know, again, depends who you ask
on that one. But that's my personal thought. That's that's
what's going to be happening here, Andrew, and you've got
(08:35):
to accept it kind of thing. But as well, John,
you know, there are others who are thinking, well, you know,
will this perhaps mean that we never see Andrew again.
I don't think we'll see him at any of the
normal events, that's for sure, But I dare say, you know,
he would still be invited to the family events. And
that's why I mentioned about the compartmentalizing of how difficult
(08:57):
it is the institution and the Royle family is so difficult.
But and this is the big butt. I don't think
we've heard at the end of the drip drip drippack
is as from the Epstein emails, the Epstein files as
it were. And indeed in America there's already a clamor
now for Prince Andrew to go and give evidence before
(09:18):
American politicians and testify to the US Congress over what
he knew about Jeffrey Epstein, which in the past, of course,
he's always declined to do, and it isn't compulsory that
he does attend. But this subject is not going to
go away. But does it put a sufficient firebreak between
the Royal family and Prince Andrew? And I think they're
(09:40):
thinking at the moment, yes, it probably does, but it's
still uncomfortable for the rest of the roles.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
But what about the public diye? I mean, is the
fact that this move has happened? Is that going to
be enough? Or are people still going to say that
the Royal family just dragged its heels for far too long?
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Yeah? I think that's the one accusation that can be
leveled against them, that the decision wasn't made earlier. That
having said, it would take a lot of parliamentary time
to clear to take away that the Prince the title
of prince all of a sudden, it looks like it's happening,
and it's not going to take long at all. We
were told as well he couldn't move out of the
house because he had a you know, cast iron guarantee,
(10:18):
a cast iron contract that couldn't be picked apart. Now
all of a sudden he is moving. So yeah, there's
lots of things I think that are going to be
looked at here. I just think there's going to be
lots of people who want to move on. Obviously the
royal family will want to move on, but I think
a lot of people are a bit sick of it
here as well in some respects Now this has happened,
that might just take the sting away. But you know what, John,
(10:41):
we don't know what else might come out of the
Epstein files. And if there's even more about Prince Andrew,
and if it's shown that during that interview, famous BBC
interview he lied over just you know, ever meeting Virginia Duprey,
then I think things could get a lot worse for him.
But I certainly don't think we're going to see him
(11:02):
out and about. Interestingly, I should just report that his
two daughters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice who are actually
very popular with Prince William, are very popular with the royals,
you know, are not being I was going to say,
not being tainted by this. Of course they're being tainted
by but they are going to keep their titles a princess,
(11:23):
and that is the one sort of saving grace which
I think Andrew will probably think, well, thank heavens, I've
protected them for at least that. But yeah, it's a
small comfort for a man who loves all the trappings
of royalty. He is. He just loves it. He attends
every event he can and loves the pomp and ceremony.
(11:43):
He loves the posted environment of being a senior royal.
He has a reputation for treating his staff poorly. He's
something he denies. But he's not the most popular among
apparently the domestic servants, and many will feel while that
old adage would be nice to people on your way up,
because you need them on your way down, there are
many people springing to his defense at the moment of.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Your time, very much, The UK correspondent Gavin Gray. Now,
before you start congratulating the king and saying well done,
well done, just remember this how long this has taken
and I think it is shameful it has taken this long.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
For more from Kerry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
news talks it Be from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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