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Prince Andrew will be stripped of his naval title as King Charles seeks to conclude the continuing controversy surrounding his brother's relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Stripping of Honors In Progress

The former prince will be stripped of his military title of naval commander, which he received in 2015 and maintained even after giving up other military positions in 2022.

The defense minister announced on Sunday that government officials were collaborating with the king to strip his military titles.

"In general, the administration follows the rulings and determinations the king has made. Regarding military matters, it's exactly the same," the defense secretary said.

Additional Consequences

Asked whether the former duke could forfeit his service awards as well, Healey responded that they were "awards recognizing his military career" and added: "I don't have an update on that, but just as with his vice-admiral rank, we would be directed by the judgments the king makes."

Historical Circumstances

Mountbatten Windsor has been under renewed scrutiny over his relationship with Epstein following the release of posthumous memoirs by Virginia Giuffre, who alleges she was forced to have sex with Andrew on multiple instances, including when she was a teenager.

Recently disclosed emails reveal that the ex-royal contacted Epstein in 2010 after the financier got out from jail on allegations involving sex trafficking.

In the correspondence released on Friday, the disgraced financier proposed that Andrew meet former JP Morgan executive Jes Staley, who was banned from the UK banking sector for life in June for misleading the watchdog about his connections to Epstein.

Naval Career

Andrew was a member of the navy for over 20 years, including as a aircraft commander during the Falklands war. After a civil case was initiated three years ago, he ceased utilizing most of his military titles but kept the rank of vice-admiral.

The navy pension is his only current source of declared income after serving between 1979 and 2001, reportedly totaling twenty thousand pounds annually.

Recent Developments

Buckingham Palace officially declared last week he would be stripped of the honors of prince and Duke of York, as well as being required to vacate his residence at Royal Lodge and relocate to personal housing in Sandringham.

Palace officials had collaborated with civil servants in the Cabinet Office to avoid the decision having to be approved by lawmakers, finally deciding that the king should remove the title entirely using his monarchical authority.

While the removal of honors takes effect immediately, the former prince is not expected to leave Royal Lodge until following the holidays, meaning he will not be present when the family convenes at Sandringham for the holiday.