Prince Andrew to Lose naval title, Defence Secretary Confirms
London – Prince Andrew, formerly known as Mountbatten Windsor, is set to be stripped of his honorary naval title, UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps announced today. The move follows increasing scrutiny regarding the Prince’s past association wiht convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and recent developments concerning his royal status.
Newly released emails reveal communication between Prince Andrew and Epstein, including a 2010 exchange where Epstein suggested a meeting with Jes Staley, a former JP Morgan executive later banned from the UK banking sector for life in June 2025 for misleading regulators about his relationship with Epstein. Prince Andrew replied he would “make sure I meet [Staley] soon on another trip,” despite not being in the UK at the time. The pair where photographed together in New York’s Central Park in December 2010, a meeting the prince later described as a ”wrong decision.”
Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy for over 20 years, including service as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War. Following a civil case filed by Virginia Giuffre three years ago, he ceased using most of his military titles, but retained the rank of vice-admiral. His navy pension,amounting to approximately £20,000 a year,has been his only declared source of income since his service between 1979 and 2001.
Last week, Buckingham Palace formally announced Prince Andrew would lose the titles of Prince and Duke of york and vacate his residence at Royal Lodge, moving to private accommodation at Sandringham. The decision to abolish the dukedom was made by the King using royal prerogative,avoiding parliamentary intervention.
Sources revealed on Friday that the King has approved a six-figure, one-off payment for his brother and is prepared to provide an annual stipend to prevent overspending. Negotiations regarding the financial package are ongoing.
While the loss of titles is immediate, Prince Andrew is not expected to leave Royal Lodge until after Christmas, and will thus be absent from the royal gathering at sandringham.
