Charles finally had to pick which side he was on - and it was not Andrew's

To strip his brother of his titles and to evict him from his home is the most consequential action King Charles has taken since he became monarch in 2022.

- Analysis Robert Booth

The defenestration of Prince Andrew, now to be known only as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, and the removal of his cherished privilege of royal status is an act of utmost ruthlessness by a king.

Ascending to the throne at the age of 73 Charles always knew he would play a caretaker role for the monarchy and so could not allow rot to set into an institution that lives and dies by public consent.

The damage that Andrew’s association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell continued to inflict on the reputation of the royal family was simply too much for the king not to act as he did yesterday evening.

Charles has been described by his biographer Catherine Mayer as “loyal to a fault. Sometimes to the point of fault”, but the situation with Andrew was too much.