Ex-Prince Andrew's Disgrace Means No One Else Wants to Be Handed His Stripped Duke of York Title by King Charles: 'A Poisoned Chalice'

Andrew Windsor-Mountbatten has become so toxic within royal circles no one else wants to be handed his stripped Duke of York title, according to insiders.

Sources say King Charles' decision to remove it has effectively turned the honor into a burden rather than a privilege.

The move came as part of the King's sweeping action in the wake of Andrew's growing Jeffrey Epstein scandals.

Buckingham Palace dramatically confirmed the former Duke has been stripped of the style HRH, the titles of Duke and Prince, two senior orders, and his residence at Royal Lodge.

Now reclassified as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, he is preparing to move to a smaller property on the Sandringham estate. And royal sources say the 77-year-old King's decision has left the 30-year-old dukedom so contaminated that no senior figure wants it revived.

An insider said: "The title of Duke of York is now politically untouchable. No member of the family wants to inherit something that has become shorthand for scandal."

Another insider added: "The York title used to be associated with dignity and history. Now it is a poisoned chalice."

Royal biographer Robert Hardman addressed whether the title could be reassigned.

He said while the King is technically free to do so, it is "highly unlikely" the York title will be given to anybody else while other descendants of the last Dukedom remain alive.

Hardman added: "I think it's going into the title cupboard and will stay there a very long time."

He also believes the title will now remain "dormant" for this generation.

But he said it could make a comeback at some point in the future, especially as it belonged to honorable royals, including the late Queen's father, King George V. Due to her links to Epstein, Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, 66, will no longer use the Duchess of York title and will make separate living arrangements after decades at Royal Lodge.

A royal source said: "King Charles understands the York title is now radioactive. The idea of passing it on is unthinkable."

Another insider added: "Charles has shown that nothing is guaranteed. If you seriously let down the royal side, even ancient titles can disappear into the cupboard forever."

It comes as newly released Jeffrey Epstein emails have cast further doubt on Andrew's account of when he cut ties with pedophile Epstein – and his denials about meeting his abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre.

In March 2011 – four months after he later claimed to have ended his relationship with Epstein – Andrew told him and his convicted s-- trafficker madam and fixer Ghislaine Maxwell: "I can't take any more of this," in response to allegations put to him by a Sunday newspaper.

Another email from Epstein in 2011 appears to confirm the infamous photograph of the then-Prince Andrew holding a then 17-year-old Giuffre by the waist in 2001 was real.

In one email Epstein said: "Yes, she was on my plane and yes, she had her photo taken with Andrew, as many of my employees have."

Andrew suggested in his car-crash 2019 BBC Newsnight interview the photograph may have been doctored, and he had "absolutely no memory" of it being taken.

Giuffre, who took her life this year at age 41 after becoming Epstein's most high-profile s-- trafficking accuser, alleged she was forced to have s-- with former Prince Andrew three times – once at Maxwell's home in London, once at Epstein's address in Manhattan and once on the disgraced financier's private island, Little St James.

The latest emails heaping shame and embarrassment on Andrew were among thousands of documents from Epstein's estate published by the U.S. House oversight committee on Wednesday, November 12.