Andrew scandal rocks UK's royals

King Charles III's historic decision to strip his brother Andrew of his royal titles won widespread backing in Britain Friday, but failed to silence calls for further action and greater oversight of the monarchy.

The king's move to axe Andrew's title of prince — the first such action since 1919 — is the latest humiliation for the scandal-plagued royal over his links to convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Charles also announced Thursday he was ousting his younger brother from his longtime home on Windsor Castle's sprawling grounds, after renewed accusations from one of Epstein's main accusers, Virginia Giuffre.

The posthumous publication of her memoir last week, reiterating in shocking detail allegations she was trafficked to have sex with Andrew three times, including twice when she was 17, sparked renewed public outcry.

"It's a long time coming," retired teacher Pam Williams, an American living in Britain since 1972, told AFP outside Buckingham Palace, referring to Charles's decision.

"Maybe he should have done it a long time ago. But well done for doing it now."

"Finally!" headlined the Daily Mirror, while The Sun went with "The Andrew formerly known as Prince".

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesman said Friday the government "fully support the decision taken". It is understood that the Palace consulted Downing Street beforehand.

"I think it's drawn a line under a lot of the concerns," Andrew Lownie, the former prince's biographer, told AFP. "I think the king has done probably as much as he could do."

Giuffre, a US and Australian citizen, took her own life in April, aged 41.

Her US-based brother Sky Roberts hailed the decision, but told the BBC: "It's not enough."

"I commend the king... but we need to take it one more step further: he needs to be behind bars," he said of Andrew.

Similar calls have been growing, with anti-monarchy pressure group Republic revealing Thursday it has instructed lawyers to explore if there is "sufficient evidence" to pursue a private prosecution.

London's Metropolitan Police have previously probed Giuffre's claims, but said in 2021 they were taking no further action.