A recording of Question Time was interrupted as raucous applause rippled through the audience after they heard disgraced former prince Andrew would be stripped of his title and house.
Audience members at the BBC show in Bradford reacted in delight after presenter Fiona Bruce revealed that the King’s brother will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
Further gleeful clapping could be heard after she announced the 65-year-old, who on Thursday was ranked the most unpopular royal ever, would lose his lease on Royal Lodge and be forced to find his own private accomodation.
The hostile reaction followed Buckingham Palace‘s announcement that ties with Andrew would be cut.
The palace said ‘censures are deemed necessary’ on Thursday amid the ongoing scandal over Jeffrey Epstein, whom Andrew lied about cutting ties with.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, speaking on the show, said removing Andrew’s titles is a ‘really brave, important and right step’ by the King, and sends a ‘powerful message’ to sex abuse victims.
‘Obviously this is a huge development and a big step for the King to take.
‘I have to say, just, you know, as an initial response, I really support the step that he’s taken.
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A recording of Question Time was interrupted as raucous applause rippled through the audience after they heard disgraced former prince Andrew would be stripped of his title and house
Andrew will no longer be known as a prince and is to leave Royal Lodge, it has been confirmed
‘I think [it’s] a very powerful message to the victims of grooming and sex offences. I used to work with children who’d been abused before I came into Parliament, including many of the girls who’d been horrifically abused by grooming gangs.
‘I read some of the testimony from some of the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, not just at the time, but recently, with news stories that have come to light.
‘And I think, you know, given the new information that we have, I think this is a really brave, important and right step by the King, and I fully support it.’
The bombshell decision came as a new poll revealed the number of Brits with a negative opinion of Andrew had skyrocketed to the highest ever level recorded for a royal.
The deeply unpopular ex-prince has seen his approval ranking drop to a mere four per cent amid his involvement with Virginia Giuffre, a YouGov polled released on Thursday shows.
The royal, who has formally been stripped of his prince title, is viewed unfavourably by a staggering 91 per cent of the population, an increase from 87 per cent in August.
Two per cent of Brits said they did not have an opinion on the former duke.
‘His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew,’ the palace statement said.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, speaking on Question Time, said removing Andrew’s titles is a ‘really brave, important and right step’ by the King
Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce was greeted with applause after she announced that Andrew had lost his titles
Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, Andrew’s former home
The Royal Family released a public statement announcing Andrew would no longer be a prince
Security stand at the gates of the Royal Lodge following tonight’s announcement
‘Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence.
‘Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation.
‘These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.
‘Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.’
Andrew is also facing a private prosecution over allegations of sexual assault and is viewed ‘very negatively’ by 81 per cent, an increase from 69 per cent in August.
He is alleged to have sexually assaulted Ms Giuffre when she was aged 17, and more recently was alleged in 2011 to have pressured one of his royal protection officers to investigate Giuffre, believing she had a criminal record.
Andrew, who had already surrendered the Duke of York title and been all–but–eradicated from royal life, has denied all allegations against him.
It is understood the King Charles III is in the process of sending royal warrants to the Lord Chancellor to remove his brother’s titles and honours. Andrew is said to have not objected.
The move was said to have been entirely down to the King and his advisers, without pressure from the government. The monarch is pictured in Australia earlier this month
It is understood Sarah Ferguson, seen with Andrew at Royal Ascot in 2019, will make her own living arrangements
Andrew is seen on the Windsor Estate on September 27 this year – the last time he was seen horse riding in public
Although the former duke has been stripped of all his remaining titles those of his daughters, Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, will remain.
Amid the controversy it was previously understood that His Majesty Charles was very keen to ‘protect’ his nieces who remain Her Royal Highnesses as granddaughters of Queen Elizabeth.
‘He wouldn’t have wanted to sign off on anything that would impact them,’ a source told the Daily Mail.
It is understood Prince William and the Royal Family fully support the King’s leadership on the recent move.
Meanwhile, William has remained as the most positively viewed member of the Royal Family, according to the new poll.
William was seen in a positive light by 76 per cent of the public compared to 15 per cent seeing him negatively.
His wife Kate was slightly less popular, at 73 per cent, with 13 per cent holding a negative opinion.
These figures are largely the same as last month, as is the 70 per cent with a positive opinion of Princess Anne, the family’s third most popular member.
Andrew pictured with Jeffrey Epstein in New York’s Central Park in 2011
Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old
Meghan Markle follows behind Andrew as the the second most unpopular member of the monarchy.
The Duchess of Sussex, who was accused of making a ‘tone deaf’ appearance at Paris Fashion Week earlier this month, is only viewed in a positive light by 21 per cent of Britons.
While 65 per cent harbour negative perceptions towards the former actress, with 14 per cent saying they did not have an opinion.
Prince Harry is marginally more popular than his wife, polling at 30 per cent, with 59 viewing him in a negative light.
The Sussexes moved to Montecito, California, in 2020 but appear to be struggling for support across the pond.
Harry and Meghan were filmed smiling as they appeared to be booed by crowds at a World Series baseball game on Tuesday.
They had been enjoying a ‘date night’ at the Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on Tuesday night when they featured on the big screen from their front row seats.
But a mixture of boos and cheers broke out as the couple flashed up on the stadium’s kiss-cam, in front of 56,000 sports fans.
King Charles III is viewed positively by 62 per cent of Brits, a rise of three per cent since August.
Anti–monarchy group Republic says it intends to investigate allegations that the former Duke of York sexually assaulted Giuffre (pictured)
Amid the controversy, His Majesty, King Charles III, was very keen to ‘protect’ Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who remain Her Royal Highnesses
A lesser number, 59 per cent, have a favourable view of the royal family in general, with 56 supporting the institution of the monarchy.
A separate poll by YouGov found that the public are divided on the King’s handling of Andrew, with 32 per cent believing he has done so badly, and 40 per cent saying he has done well.
Conservative voters are mostly likely to view the monarchy in a positive light, with nine in ten believing it is good for Britain.
Antipathy is highest among Green voters, with 39 per cent stating they are embarassed by the monarchy.
The allegations against Andrew have unsettled the Royal Family and the King was even heckled and asked ‘How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein’ during a visit to Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire on Monday.
Anti–monarchy campaign group Republic have also said they will instruct lawyers to investigate the prince and, if appropriate, press ahead with legal proceedings.
Giuffre, who died by suicide on April 25 this year, alleged in her posthumous memoir Nobody’s Girl that Andrew was ‘entitled – as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright’.
She also outlined three occasions on which the Duke had sex with her, including at convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell’s house in London.
Andrew stands next to Prince William and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, as they leave Westminster Cathedral at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral
The York family: Beatrice, Sarah, Andrew and Eugenie pictured at a gathering
The Duke has denied ever meeting Virginia Giuffre. In 2022, he settled a US civil case she lodged for a reported £12million, reportedly receiving money from his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, to help meet the costs.
The settlement came with no admission of liability.
The Metropolitan Police said in January 2024 that it would not mount an investigation into allegations against the Duke of York, but would assess ‘new and relevant’ information as and when it came to light.
However, it said earlier this month it was ‘actively’ looking into the claims Andrew had asked his personal protection officer to investigate Ms Giuffre, and the Mail on Sunday understands he was interviewed by detectives at home last week.
