Even compared to historic royal scandals such as the abdication of King Edward, Princess Diana and Charles’ divorce, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leaving the UK, this week's headlines were shocking: Prince Andrew has been formally stripped of his royal titles and evicted from his home at the Royal Lodge by order of his brother, King Charles III. The announcement followed a deafening chorus about his links to Jeffrey Epstein, sex trafficking and the sexual abuse of young women, including the late Virginia Giufffre.
Until King Charles took that step, "this was the most dangerous moment in royal history for 100 years," Andrew Lownie, who has written several books on the royal family, including Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, tells USA TODAY. "Here was a royal who was corrupt and who was supported by the institution itself. And the public were absolutely furious." The former Duke of York's story is far from over, and the latest development only highlights new and unanswered questions about the intertwined fates of Andrew, his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, their daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, King Charles and the monarchy itself. Here, USA TODAY explores some of the most pressing issues, with the help of royal insiders and experts.
