LONDON — Britain’s King Charles took the extraordinary step of starting the process to strip his brother Andrew of his royal titles and evict him from the royal estate in Windsor, in the most dramatic attempt yet to quell the scandal over the disgraced prince’s links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The move, described in stark terms by Buckingham Palace as “necessary censures,” cements the deepest split in the British royal family in decades. The question now: whether King Charles and the British establishment have done enough to prevent Andrew’s association with Epstein from engulfing the monarchy.

Andrew, 65, had faced 15 years of on-and-off controversy over his friendship with Epstein that had reached a new intensity after the release of a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged that Andrew had sexually assaulted her as a teenager.

Giuffre – who the prince claims never to have met – died by suicide in April at the age of 41. Andrew has repeatedly denied all allegations against him.

Giuffre’s family said in a statement on Thursday: “Today, an ordinary American girl, from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.”

Sky Roberts, Giuffre’s brother, told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that it had been a “joyous and happy and sad day.”

In the statement, Buckingham Palace noted that Andrew would be forced out of his residence and take the family name. “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,” the statement continued.

“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.”

Andrew will move to a property on the Sandringham estate, about 100 miles north of London, which is privately owned by the British monarch. Royal Lodge sits within Windsor Great Park, part of the Crown Estate, which manages the royal family’s land and property holdings on behalf of the British state. Andrew’s new accommodation will be privately funded by King Charles.

It’s understood the palace acted because while it acknowledges that Andrew continues to deny all allegations made against him, it had concluded that he made serious lapses of judgement.

Andrew had sought to end the renewed scrutiny of his conduct by relinquishing use of his titles earlier this month. But his moves did little to stem the flow of negative headlines and sparked fresh questions about how he was able to pay Giuffre a reportedly multimillion-dollar settlement in a civil case in 2022 and fund his lifestyle despite having not been a working royal since 2019.

Public anger has also grown after it emerged last week that he paid $1 million for Royal Lodge, in the heart of Windsor Great Park near Windsor Castle, in 2003, and only a peppercorn rent “if demanded” each year since then, according to his lease agreement.

Despite Thursday’s announcement, Andrew remains eighth in line to the British throne. That status could be removed by legislation, but it would require the consent of Commonwealth nations around the world, which would take time. The last time this protocol was used was when Edward VIII abdicated in 1936.

CNN understands that rather than formally remove Andrew’s title as Duke of York via an act of parliament, King Charles will send royal warrants to remove Andrew’s peerages.

Andrew was also known as the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh, a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. The stripping of his titles takes immediate effect.

“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,” Buckingham Palace added in the statement.

In his interview with CNN, Sky Roberts said King Charles’ decision vindicated the years of campaigning by his sister. “She should be here. She should be having this interview with you,” he said.

“She had been fighting for this for a long time. She always said… only one of us is telling the truth and I know that’s me,” Roberts said. “We’re really proud of her. We’re so proud of what she was able to achieve.”

Calling it a “huge moment” for his sister and other survivors, Roberts said: “It’s an acknowledgement to say, we believe you. We see you. And for me, I love you. We love you… This is a very vindicating moment for us. And I just wish she was here to to share this with us.”

Giuffre’s family said in their statement they would fight to ensure other associates of Epstein would face similar judgement. “Our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her. Today, she declares victory,” the statement said, adding they will “not rest until the same accountability applies to all of the abusers and abettors connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.”

The anti-monarchy group Republic said Thursday that it had instructed lawyers to launch a private prosecution against Andrew “over accusations of sexual offenses and misconduct in public office.”

The group said its lawyers would be actively investigating the case against Andrew and aim to begin proceedings in the coming weeks. Republic has previously called for the police to investigate Andrew.

“Let’s be very clear, Prince Andrew – now Andrew Mountbatton Windsor – is not facing justice. He’s not being held to account. Losing silly titles is not an answer to very serious accusations of sexual offenses and corruption in public office,” Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, said Thursday following the palace’s announcement.

“This isn’t about William and Charles taking a tough line. It’s about William and Charles protecting their position by putting as much distance between them and Andrew as they can,” Smith added. “We need to see Andrew face justice, because we need to know that the royals are not above the law.”

On Monday, the British monarch was heckled by a protester who could be heard shouting “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?” as he carried out a cathedral visit in northwest England.

Andrew’s daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, will retain their titles as they are the daughters of the son of a sovereign – in line with rules set out by King George V in 1917.

Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who has lived with him for the past 20 years at Royal Lodge, will also move out and is understood to be making her own arrangements.

Ferguson, 66, is the mother of Andrew’s two children. They wed in 1986 and divorced a decade later. She previously held the title of Duchess of York, but reverted to her maiden name when Andrew relinquished his titles earlier this month.

CNN also understands that the British government was consulted on the King’s decisions, and the government has made it clear that it supports the moves.

The last time a prince had his title removed is understood to be more than 100 years ago, when Prince Charles Edward – one of Queen Victoria’s grandsons – had the title of Duke of Albany stripped from him by the British parliament under the Titles Deprivation Act 1917. The action was taken after he fought in World War I for Germany, where he was Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. — CNN