Why King Charles Made This Exemption For Prince Andrew Amid Stripped Honors And Titles

Amid Prince Andrew's loss of royal titles and privileges, King Charles has chosen to allow his brother to hold on to symbols from his past.

Now known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, the former Duke of York has faced significant fallout from his association with Jeffrey Epstein, which has cost him his reputation and royal rights.

However, King Charles has chosen to spare the medals Andrew earned through his years of dedicated military service.

After Defense Secretary John Healey confirmed on November 2 that Andrew's "last remaining title," the rank of vice admiral, had been removed, he noted that the government was following the King’s lead regarding the former Duke's military honors.

Now, Buckingham Palace has disclosed that the King has permitted his younger brother to retain his medals from the Falklands War, including those awarded for operational service, The Telegraph reports.

Prince Andrew, who served in the Royal Navy for 22 years after being commissioned in 1981, played an active role in the 1982 Falklands War as a Sea King helicopter co-pilot. 

During the conflict, he carried out anti-submarine and anti-surface missions, casualty evacuations, and search-and-rescue operations, even flying above the aircraft carrier to act as a decoy for Argentina's Exocet missiles.

The decision to consider removing Andrew's medals has divided public opinion, with many veterans insisting he should keep them since they were earned through active service.

Falklands veteran Simon Weston, who was severely injured during the conflict, argued that while Andrew's royal status was inherited, his medals were earned through courage and sacrifice.

 "What gives the Government the right to even consider stealing someone's property? He earned this. He paid for it with time and sacrifice. How dare you think you can take this from him?" Weston said.

Another senior who also served in the Falklands echoed a similar sentiment, highlighting that such a move would undermine the very principle of recognizing bravery in service.

This move comes a week after the king formally initiated the process of stripping Andrew's remaining royal titles and privileges, relegating him to a commoner, which The Blast covered.

Although Andrew loses his titles, he is still eighth in line to the throne because removing that position would require formal legislation across multiple Commonwealth realms, a rarely used process.

Before the removal, the former senior royal held several distinguished recognitions, including Earl of Inverness, Baron Killyleagh, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, and Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter.

The Palace also confirmed that Andrew's lease on Royal Lodge, his longtime Windsor residence, has been terminated, and he is expected to move into the king’s Sandringham estate, with the relocation personally financed by the monarch, per The Blast.

The decision also extends to his former partner, Sarah Ferguson, who has been living with him at the prestigious residence despite their 1996 divorce.

Now, with the eviction, they are faced with a major change in their housing arrangements, with sources claiming Ferguson would make her own plans, although she can choose to stay with Andrew at Sandringham.

Despite Andrew's ongoing fall from grace, new and disturbing claims about his past continue to surface.

In a recent episode of the Daily Mail podcast "Deep Dive: The Fall of the House of York," historian Andrew Lownie made explosive allegations about the Duke's behavior during his tenure as the UK's Trade Envoy.

As The Blast previously reported, Lownie alleged that during a taxpayer-funded trip to Thailand, Andrew arranged for "40 prostitutes" to visit his five-star hotel over four days. 

He further claimed that Andrew abused his position for personal and financial gain, helping his associate David Rowlands secure a banking license in the Middle East and arrange business meetings in China, which Lownie described as a grave abuse of office.

After recalling Andrew’s past, Lownie called for transparency from the monarchy, insisting it’s vital for preserving its reputation. He added that the king also confronts his brother’s actions.