**Andrew Mountbatten Windsor Loses Vice-Admiral Title**

Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, previously known as Prince Andrew, is set to lose another title. Defence Secretary John Healey announced this morning that the former Duke of York will be stripped of his honorary rank of vice-admiral. This decision follows King Charles's earlier actions to remove all royal titles and styles from his brother.

Andrew was appointed vice-admiral on his 55th birthday in 2015. He retained this rank even after resigning from his other military roles in 2022. Healey stated on the BBC’s *Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg* programme, "In general, the Government’s been guided by the decisions and judgments the King has made. In defence, it’s exactly the same. And we’ve seen Andrew surrender the honorary positions he’s had throughout the military, and guided again by the King, we are working now to remove that last remaining title of vice-admiral that he has."

When questioned about the possibility of Andrew losing his military medals, Healey remarked that they were "medals for his service" and added, "I don’t have an update for you on that, but just as with his vice-admiral rank and title, we would be guided by the decisions the King makes."

This announcement comes amid reports that Andrew will not receive the majority of his £558,000 compensation for relinquishing his lease on Royal Lodge. The disgraced royal was expected to receive this payout from the Crown Estate after agreeing to vacate the 30-room mansion, which has been under scrutiny due to his past association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. A royal source indicated that significant repairs are needed at the property in Windsor Great Park, which will likely reduce the compensation amount.

Despite this, Andrew will receive a one-off six-figure payment to assist with his relocation, along with an annual stipend funded privately by the King. This stipend is intended to help him manage his finances as he transitions to life outside the royal family, and it is reported to be several times greater than his £20,000-a-year Navy pension. The King is expected to use private funds for this payment, rather than his Duchy of Lancaster income.

Andrew, the late Queen’s second son, is scheduled to move to a smaller residence on the King’s private Sandringham estate in Norfolk in the new year, marking the completion of his internal exile. This follows King Charles's recent decision to strip Andrew of his prince and Duke of York titles, further solidifying his removal from public life. Andrew's reputation has been marred by his connections to Epstein and allegations of sexual abuse against Virginia Giuffre, which he has consistently denied.