A TERSE phone call from King Charles ended with Prince Andrew losing his royal titles, The Sun on Sunday can reveal.
There were no face-to-face meetings between the King and his disgraced brother, despite Charles travelling back south from Scotland for diary duties this week.
Andrew, 65, had faced mounting pressure as the Jeffrey Epstein sex scandal continued to engulf him — and was forced to cancel a birthday party for his ex wife Sarah Ferguson at the last minute.
Fergie had been due to celebrate turning 66 last Wednesday with a bash at their home in Windsor, surrounded by friends, family, neighbours and estate workers.
Her sister Jane had even flown in from her home in Australia to support and celebrate with her.
But hours before guests were scheduled to arrive at Royal Lodge, Andrew pulled the plug — amid mounting calls to give up his titles.
READ MORE ON PRINCE ANDREW
That day, The Sun had published damning new revelations from Andrew’s sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre, heaping more pressure on the scandal-ridden prince.
The Sun on Sunday also revealed last week that he sent his paedophile pal Epstein an email saying “we are in this together” — after he claimed he had cut ties with him.
A friend said last night: “There was a big party organised for Fergie.
“All the staff and estate workers, as well as friends, were invited and very excited. But Prince Andrew cancelled it at the last minute.
“There was a lot going on — he was facing up to the fact that he would face punishment.
“In many ways the party was over for Andrew — he knew it was crunch time.”
Today we can also reveal new details about the curt phone call between Andrew and his brother King Charles on Friday afternoon which led to him losing his Duke of York title and other honours.
Prince William was also consulted over the phone, with no face-to-face meetings.
Momentum inside the Palace to “do something” about Andrew gathered pace after last week’s Sun on Sunday revealed his email to convicted paedophile Epstein in 2011.
In many ways the party was over for Andrew — he knew it was crunch time
Insider
He told him “we’ll play some more soon” — three months after claiming that he had ended contact.
Then, on Wednesday, we revealed new details from Ms Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein for sex with Andrew on three occasions.
In a new memoir, Ms Giuffre, who died by suicide this year, said that “entitled” Andrew saw sex with her as his “birthright”.
The Sun on Sunday can also reveal meetings with royal aides began weeks ago after William was left “seething” at Andrew’s public display of buffoonery at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral.
The gurning royal was spotted trying to cosy up alongside William and Kate last month.
William, it is understood, found Andrew distracted from the solemn ceremony.
The Royal Family and senior aides have also been braced for fresh scandal, knowing Ms Giuffre’s memoir was to be published this month.
Yet the email which revealed Andrew lied — and the fear that many more damaging ones will shortly be revealed — proved to be the “tipping point”.
Aides were said to be frustrated and exasperated by the scandal, which had rumbled on for years, and led to Andrew stepping back from public life in 2019.
Within 24 hours of our story last Sunday, the Palace began “considering all options” to cut him off further.
Ideas and proposals were discussed, but there was also a warning that the “window of opportunity” for Andrew to fall on his own sword was closing quickly.
There was also reported pressure from No 10 officials for the royals to deal with the saga after Andrew was caught up in the Chinese spying row.
It emerged he met senior Beijing official Cai Qi at least three times in 2018 and 2019, and was suspected of being passed sensitive information.
To the outside world, the Royal Family were operating normally, with William and Kate appearing in good spirits on their day trip to Northern Ireland on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the King travelled from Balmoral to London, where his diary included an audience with Sir Keir Starmer on Wednesday.
He then attended the Australian High Commission the following morning before returning to Scotland.
Sources say that while Charles was in the capital he “was not dealing” with the possible banishment of his brother, and the pair did not meet face-to-face.
The Sun then broke the first extracts from Ms Giuffre’s book — just hours before Fergie’s planned birthday party at Royal Lodge.
We can reveal Sarah’s sister Jane, who lives in Australia, has been staying in the 31-room mansion to lend support to the couple.
Meanwhile, Palace courtiers were continuing to discuss what options they had to punish Andrew.
The King, like his mother, does not like confrontation
Royal insider
They included his removal from the line of succession, paying him off to move abroad and banning him from all royal property.
By the end of the week they settled on removing his honorific titles but wanted his consent, otherwise an Act of Parliament would be required. Sources said another complication was Andrew remains a prince which trumps that of a duke.
It is understood the forced removal of his Duke of York title would also affect his two daughters Beatrice and Eugenie.
An insider said last night: “It was thought that if a way could be sought to carry out the very significant step of removing all titles and honours conferred on him without wasting parliamentary time then that would be desirable.
“The King was determined whatever outcome should not impact on the princesses, for whom he has great affection.”
The Palace also believed the message would be stronger if it came from Andrew — and assist his rehabilitation.
When Queen Elizabeth II stripped her “favourite son” Andrew of his military titles in February 2022 she summoned him to Windsor Castle.
But Charles, who was back in Scotland, finally ended his brother’s tenure as Duke of York in a brief phone call to Royal Lodge, with the pair 500 miles apart.
One insider added: “The King, like his mother, does not like confrontation.”
By 6pm, The Sun learnt that Andrew had agreed to “relinquish” his titles and that wife Sarah had agreed to do the same.
One hour later, Buckingham Palace, which has not spoken on behalf of Andrew since his car-crash Newsnight interview in 2019, released his 103-word statement.
It said he had decided to go a “step further” five years after standing back from public life.
However some observers were stunned by Andrew’s robust words, where he blamed “continued accusations” and claimed he has always “put my duty to my family and country first”.
He also added: “I vigorously deny the accusations against me.” With the threat of more damaging revelations, some believe it may not be the final statement issued on his future.
However, last night he remained holed up at Royal Lodge, despite pressure to move out.
Labour MP Rachael Maskell also called on Charles and the Government to formally strip him of his titles.
She said proposed legislation “provides the King new powers to be able to remove titles or for a grand committee of both Houses of Parliament to make a recommendation to the King to remove a title”.
A spokesman for Buckingham was asked for comment.
