Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has recently faced significant changes regarding his firearms usage. According to reports from The Mirror, the 65-year-old former royal voluntarily surrendered his firearm certificate following a visit by specialist police officers to his residence at Royal Lodge, Windsor, Berkshire.
Firearm licenses are subject to regular review, and authorities can impose new conditions if a license holder’s circumstances change or if there are concerns about public safety. While no firearms were reportedly seized from Andrew’s home, police have imposed conditions on how his shotguns must be stored and who can access them. It is understood that Andrew, an avid participant in shooting parties, can now only use or transport his shotguns when accompanied by another person.
The Sun reported that during last month’s police visit, Andrew sent a representative to communicate with the officers. Following discussions, he agreed to surrender his firearms certificate.
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A Metropolitan Police spokesperson told The Sun, “On Wednesday, November 19, firearms licensing officers attended an address in Windsor to request that a man in his 60s voluntarily surrender his firearms and shotgun certificate. The certificate was surrendered, and we will not be commenting further at this stage.”
The precise reasons behind the surrender of Andrew’s certificate have not been disclosed.
This development follows a turbulent period for Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles by his brother, King Charles, in October amid controversies relating to his association with the disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Subsequently, Andrew was evicted from Royal Lodge and is set to relocate next year to an outbuilding on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
Additionally, the release of new documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act by the U.S. Department of Justice on December 19 has kept public attention on the allegations against Andrew. For years, he has faced accusations of sexual assault from Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein. Andrew has denied these allegations and settled a civil sexual assault claim with Giuffre in 2022 by paying millions.