(Picture: AFP)
King Charles received support from Prince William and Princess Kate to finally swing the axe on any links between the Royal Family and Andrew, it is understood.
His Majesty’s younger brother – who will now only be referred to as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor – had all his remaining titles and privileges removed after his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and the rape allegations made by Virginia Giuffre.
Buckingham Palace confirmed last night that the disgraced royal has been stripped of being a prince and will be kicked out of his Royal Lodge home.
All that remains is his place in the line of succession.
It is understood that Charles had the support of the Prince and Princess of Wales in the decision – and that Andrew did not object to the process.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.
A source told the Mail: ‘The process has been underway for some while but there was a need to get it right in the face of some very big challenges.’
They added that there was no pressure from the UK government or family members.
William and Kate have not issued a statement on the matter themselves.
The announcement comes a week after Andrew renounced his titles after His Majesty threatened to have them officially stripped unless he finally saw sense.
Charles made it clear the would not hesitate to take ‘further action’ if his younger brother continued to cling on to his dukedom and other honours after it emerged he lied about cutting ties with Epstein.
Reacting to the news, the family of Andrew’s alleged victim, Ms Giuffre, said she had ‘brought down a prince’.
She was one of the most outspoken accusers of convicted sex offenders Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, his former girlfriend.
She alleged they trafficked her for Andrew when she was 17, which he has strenuously denied.
In a statement given to the BBC, Ms Giuffre’s family said she had ‘never stopped fighting for accountability’.
It said: ‘Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.
‘Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and countless other survivors like her.
‘Today, she declares a victory. We, her family, along with her survivor sisters, continue Virginia’s battle and will not rest until the same accountability applies to all of her abusers and abetters, connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.