Windsor Castle Removes Prince Andrew‘s Coat of Arms, Signaling Furtherโฃ Royal Ostracism
Windsor, UK – in a highly โขsymbolic move, โWindsor Castle has removed the banner representing the coat of arms โคof Prince Andrew,โข Duke of York,โข from St. George’s Chapel. The removal, revealed by British press on โฃOctober 23, signifies โa deepening estrangementโฃ fromโค theโค royal family following โallegations of sexual โฃassault โฃand his โคassociation with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Forโข 19 years, the banner-displaying the three lions ofโข England, the harp of Ireland, โฃthe โlion rampant of Scotland,โฃ andโค an anchor representing his naval career-hung alongside that of Princeโ William, symbolizing Andrew’s position as a Knight of the Order of the Garter, the โkingdom’sโ highestโข distinction.Its removal leaves an empty space, a gesture interpreted as aโ profound statement of disapproval.
According to The Sun,the removal of aโ banner from St. George’sโค Chapel is reserved for the most โserious offenses,typically treason or rebellion against the crown.โ While Prince Andrew hasโฃ not โฃbeen โaccused of such crimes, the action โฃfollows โhis โadmissionโข that “continued accusations against me distractโ from the work ofโค Herโฃ Majesty andโ the Royal Family.”
The move comesโ after Prince Andrew relinquished his titles and was forced โto withdraw from public lifeโ in 2021 amid accusations from Virginia โGiuffre, who alleges โคshe โwas sexuallyโฃ assaulted by the Duke three times when she was a โminor. Recent revelations of โemail exchanges between Prince Andrew and jeffrey โขEpstein, alongside chilling details in Giuffre’s posthumous memoirs-whereโฃ she alleges, “He actedโ like he thought sleeping with me was โhisโ birthright”-haveโ further fueled theโ scandal and prompted this latest symbolic rebuke.