The mounting controversy surrounding Prince Andrew’s past association with the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein has led to the prince relinquishing his royal titles earlier this week.

Now, an insider claims King Charles issued a stark warning to his brother just hours beforehand, leaving Andrew reportedly “shocked.”

Years of Allegations and Mounting Pressure

Prince Andrew has been embroiled in controversy for years over his alleged ties to Epstein. New claims continue to surface, intensifying scrutiny on the disgraced royal. In response to increasing public and institutional pressure, Andrew released a statement on Friday announcing his decision to step back further from royal life by giving up his titles.

In the statement, Andrew described the allegations against him as a serious “distraction” from the Royal Family’s duties, while maintaining his denial of all wrongdoing.

Andrew’s Official Statement

“In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life,” Andrew said.

“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”

King Charles’ Reported Ultimatum

In recent years, the Royal Family has quietly distanced itself from Andrew as the accusations against him have grown. According to the Daily Mail, a newly uncovered email allegedly sent by Andrew to Epstein in 2011—long after Andrew claimed their contact had ended—was the breaking point for King Charles.

Sources say that only hours before Andrew’s public announcement, the King privately warned him that if he did not voluntarily stop using his titles, the Palace would intervene. It was reportedly made clear that this action would be enforced even if it required going through Parliament.

According to the publication, Andrew was “shocked” by the ultimatum, and a royal source described King Charles as finding the situation “intolerable.”

Royal Experts Say Action Was “Essential”

Speaking to Fox News, royal expert and commentator Richard Fitzwilliams emphasized the importance of the monarch’s decision.

“It was essential that this happened. It would have soon got to the point where anything the monarchy did would have been overshadowed by sleaze. When the email which proved he lied about the timeline of his links with Epstein went public, this was inevitable in some form,” Fitzwilliams noted.

“Forced Out” Amid Scandal

The royal expert went further, suggesting Prince Andrew had little choice in the matter.

“I think he was forced out, he and Sarah Ferguson face much more scandal. They, to coin a phrase from his email to Epstein that will haunt Andrew, ‘are in it together.’ The posthumous memoir out next week shows that Virginia Giuffre achieved in death what she could not in life,” Fitzwilliams concluded.