King Charles III aimed to promote unity during a state visit to the Vatican this week, but his brother, Prince Andrew, overshadowed the event with ongoing scandals. The king's visit to Rome on Wednesday was intended to symbolize reconciliation between the Catholic Church and the Church of England after a 500-year divide. A photo of Charles and Pope Leo praying together was meant to convey this message of harmony. However, the focus quickly shifted to the controversies surrounding Andrew, who has faced increasing scrutiny over his past actions.

Last week, Andrew announced he would renounce his royal titles, a decision influenced by King Charles and Prince William. Despite this, the announcement did not meet public expectations. An editorial in The Times criticized Andrew, stating, "Andrew must cease styling himself prince and disappear." Public pressure has mounted, with a YouGov poll indicating that two-thirds of respondents believe Andrew should lose his title as prince. However, stripping him of this title is complicated due to his status as a son of Queen Elizabeth II.

The situation intensified with the release of Virginia Giuffre's memoir, "Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice." Giuffre details her experiences with Jeffrey Epstein and alleges that she was trafficked to Andrew, claiming they had sexual encounters on three occasions. Andrew has denied these allegations. The memoir's publication coincided with reports that the Metropolitan Police are investigating claims that Andrew sought to discredit Giuffre through a smear campaign.

Calls for Andrew to relinquish his lease on the Royal Lodge, a grand mansion near Windsor Castle, have also gained traction. Critics have pointed out that Andrew has paid only a nominal rent of "one peppercorn" during his two-decade residency. Baroness Margaret Hodge, a former chair of the Public Accounts Committee, described the arrangement as a "rotten deal" and called for greater transparency regarding royal finances.

The royal family is facing a challenging situation as they navigate public and political pressure. Royal commentator Giselle Bastin noted that King Charles is caught between his duties as a monarch and his role as Andrew's brother. In contrast, Prince William appears to have a more critical stance toward Andrew, with some suggesting that he is more willing to confront the issues at hand.

Despite stepping back from royal duties, Andrew has continued to appear at public events, raising questions about the royal family's accountability. Comparisons have been drawn between Andrew's situation and that of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, who lost their royal titles and state-funded security after stepping back from their roles. Commentators argue that if Harry and Meghan faced such consequences, Andrew should as well.

The royal family has a history of dealing with scandals, but the question remains whether Andrew's recent actions will be enough to mitigate the damage to the monarchy. The last time a dukedom was stripped from a senior royal was during World War I, when Prince Charles Edward lost his title for fighting on the German side. Andrew's case, however, is complicated by the serious nature of the allegations against him and the ongoing public interest in his actions.