Ahead of his move to Sandringham, which is expected to be after Christmas, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has handed over his shotgun licence following a visit from the police.
The Metropolitan Police undertook a visit to the disgraced royal at his Royal Lodge residence in Windsor last month. A statement from the force read: "On Wednesday November 19, Metropolitan Police 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 be not be commenting any further at this stage."
The force didn't say why Andrew needed to give up the licence, but the move means that the 65-year-old will not be able to use or transport his firearms unless he is accompanied by someone else.
As Andrew voluntarily gave up the licence, he is still allowed to have supervised access to his firearms. The case is due to be reviewed in the future, and Andrew will be informed of any decision made.
Despite losing access to the firearms, all of Andrew's guns will remain on the Windsor estate, with police not seizing any of the weapons.
The 65-year-old has been known to enjoy shooting. During his Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, he denied throwing a birthday party for Ghislaine Maxwell, who has been convicted for child sex trafficking, describing it as "a straightforward shooting weekend". Andrew has also been seen competing for the royal team Jackie Stewart's Celebrity Challenge clay pigeon shoot back in 1986.
Fall from grace
Andrew was stripped of his princely and HRH titles this year over his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged connection to a suspected Chinese spy.
An entry in the Letters Patent read: "THE KING has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 3 November 2025 to declare that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor shall no longer be entitled to hold and enjoy the style, title or attribute of 'Royal Highness' and the titular dignity of 'Prince'."
HELLO!'s Royal Editor Emily Nash said at the time: "This is the move that many had called for and the King had to act decisively in response, however difficult it may have been for him as a brother. It's a marked change from Andrew's statement announcing he would no longer use his Duke of York title, in which he suggested it was his decision to do so.
"The Palace had to get it right this time to restore public confidence and they have done so. The King has made clear that he is calling the shots. He's condemned his brother's 'serious lapses of judgement' and crucially, said publicly that his and the Queen's sympathies have been and remain with the victims and survivors of abuse.
"It may have taken longer than the public would have liked – there have been difficult legal and constitutional issues to consider – but the royal family will be hoping this draws a line under the latest slew of damaging headlines so they can focus on their work and the future."
At the start of the month, Andrew's remaining royal honours were also stripped. An announcement in The Gazette on Monday 1 December read: “THE KING has directed that the appointment of Andrew Albert Christian Edward MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR to be a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, dated 23 April 2006, shall be cancelled and annulled and that his name shall be erased from the Register of the said Order."
"THE KING has directed that the appointment of Andrew Albert Christian Edward MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR to be a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, dated 19 February 2011, shall be cancelled and annulled and that his name shall be erased from the Register of the said Order."
Andrew was made a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter in 2006 and a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order in 2011.