Is this finally rock bottom for Mr Andrew Mountbatten Windsor?

After weeks, months, years and even decades of scandals, the former Prince Andrew was completely stripped of all his titles and privileges.

There is no modern precedent for such a monumental loss of royal status.

Unlike the previous announcement about his future, this one came from Buckingham Palace rather than Andrew himself.

This is the bandage-ripping moment that the Palace hopes will finally draw a line under the endless oil slick of bad news stories about Andrew.

He was also stripped of the shred of dignity he had been given, where he voluntarily chose not to use his titles.

Titles such as Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh will be forcibly removed.

All that remains is its place in the line of succession, and new guidance from the House of Commons Library has shown that this too could be removed by Parliament if the Commonwealth kingdoms give their consent.

After more than a year of repression, the so-called Siege of the Royal Lodge ended and Andrew lost his independent lease and moved to the King’s mansion at Sandringham. Its exact location has not been disclosed, but it is not Wood Farm.

Sandringham is the private property of the King, ending any reliance on Crown Estate property.

His ex-wife Sarah Ferguson is said to be making her own separate arrangements and is not currently expected to be with Andrew in Norfolk.

This makes Andrew dependent on the King for his home and money. I should also say that it is his duty to look after his brother’s welfare.

This announcement could head off the immediate threat that Parliament would take matters into its own hands and vote to strip Andrew of his titles. MPs were becoming increasingly vocal as they debated the scandal, and the Public Accounts Committee was doing all it could to protect public finances.

But it will be much harder for the Palace to quell any real sense of public anger. The unchecked sense of privilege surrounding Andrew has truly disturbed the public, and it will take more than stripping him of his titles to remove the ugly sense of entitlement.

The poll, published by YouGov on Thursday, showed Andrew now has the worst ever popularity rating for a royal, with 91% having a negative view of him.

And the King heard this unhappiness first-hand this week from a grifter in Lichfield: “How long did you know about Andrew and Epstein?”

For the Palace, there will be questions about why the long-running issues surrounding Andrew have not been resolved so far. Improper business contacts, undisclosed funds, and connections to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been known for many years. The cast list changes (allegedly Chinese spies or wealthy relatives of dictators) but the story remains the same.

The unsavory connection with Epstein was widely discussed 14 years ago when Andrew was sacked as a trading agent.

Andrew loses his job but continues to live in royal style for many years, testing the public’s patience. I felt arrogant and disinterested.

A few clicks on Google will find decades-old stories casting doubt on his suitability, often accompanied by images of Andrew in a top hat like a treacherous Monopoly piece.

There may be public fatigue with this Andrew story, people may think they’ve heard enough and become fed up with it. But there was also an angry public mood demanding a clearer sense of responsibility.

What remains to be seen now is whether a larger can of worms has been opened.

Who knew when and if Andrew and Epstein were in the Palace? Do we need more transparency around crown ownership and finances? How many houses are there in Windsor? So what new scandals could emerge about Andrew?

But this caustic approach to Andrew’s future may also reveal an unexpectedly steely side to the King.

While other members of the Royal Family, including Prince William, were also involved in the decision, it appears that it was the King who made this big call regarding his brother’s future. Whatever the experts’ opinion, this cannot be an easy decision.

There seemed to be an irreversible change of attitude. An e-mail came from Andrew to Epstein, It shows their continued contact. This appeared to negate Andrew’s comments in the Newsnight interview about cutting ties.

It no longer seemed tenable that Andrew should have the honor of being a prince and living in some splendor among the royal family at Windsor.

Instead, King highlighted abuse victims whose stories lie at the dark center of Epstein’s circle.

It wasn’t long ago that Prince Andrew, Duke of York, was grinning and waving to the crowd on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Tomorrow morning, Mr Mountbatten will wake up as Windsor, an ordinary citizen for the first time in his life.