Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor returns prestigious Norwegian Royal honour

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has returned a prestigious Norwegian royal honour he held for nearly four decades, Norway’s royal palace confirmed, marking the latest development in a rapidly unfolding controversy surrounding the former British royal.

The Order of St. Olav, Norway’s highest peacetime decoration awarded for distinguished service, was originally bestowed on Andrew in 1988 during a period of close ties between the British and Norwegian royal families. A spokesperson for the Norwegian palace said simply that “Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has chosen to return his order,” declining to elaborate further due to confidentiality rules governing such awards.

The decision comes as Andrew faces mounting legal scrutiny. He was recently arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office following allegations he shared confidential government information with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his time as a British trade envoy. Police have conducted searches at properties linked to him in Berkshire and Norfolk as part of the investigation.

The return of the Norwegian honour also underscores the broader effort by the British monarchy to distance itself from Andrew’s controversies. King Charles previously stripped his younger brother of royal titles and removed him from his Windsor residence, steps widely seen as part of a broader attempt to protect the institution from reputational damage linked to the Epstein scandal.

Norway’s royal palace did not provide any official reason for the honour being returned, reiterating that such matters are confidential. However, Andrew’s name has been removed from the list of recipients of the Order of St. Olav, signalling a formal end to his association with one of Norway’s most prestigious distinctions.

The British and Norwegian royal families share longstanding historical ties dating back generations, including connections through Queen Victoria’s lineage. The development therefore carries symbolic weight, reflecting how Andrew’s personal legal troubles have increasingly reverberated across royal institutions beyond the United Kingdom.