Windsor Castle Removes Prince Andrew‘s Coat of Arms, Signaling Further Royal Ostracism
Windsor, UK – in a highly symbolic move, Windsor Castle has removed the banner representing the coat of arms of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, from St. George’s Chapel. The removal, revealed by British press on October 23, signifies a deepening estrangement from the royal family following allegations of sexual assault and his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
For 19 years, the banner-displaying the three lions of England, the harp of Ireland, the lion rampant of Scotland, and an anchor representing his naval career-hung alongside that of Prince William, symbolizing Andrew’s position as a Knight of the Order of the Garter, the kingdom’s highest distinction.Its removal leaves an empty space, a gesture interpreted as a profound statement of disapproval.
According to The Sun,the removal of a banner from St. George’s Chapel is reserved for the most serious offenses,typically treason or rebellion against the crown. While Prince Andrew has not been accused of such crimes, the action follows his admission that “continued accusations against me distract from the work of Her Majesty and the Royal Family.”
The move comes after Prince Andrew relinquished his titles and was forced to withdraw from public life in 2021 amid accusations from Virginia Giuffre, who alleges she was sexually assaulted by the Duke three times when she was a minor. Recent revelations of email exchanges between Prince Andrew and jeffrey Epstein, alongside chilling details in Giuffre’s posthumous memoirs-where she alleges, “He acted like he thought sleeping with me was his birthright”-have further fueled the scandal and prompted this latest symbolic rebuke.