King Charles Is Probably Feeling a "Measure of Relief” After Stripping Prince Andrew of His Titles, According to His Biographer and Friend

King Charles' decision this week to strip his scandal-ridden brother, Andrew, of his "Prince" title, was not only unprecedented, but was no doubt also a difficult one for the monarch on a personal level.

At least one person close to Charles says that, even if the decision was a difficult one to make, the King is probably relieved now that it's done.

Speaking to the BBC, Jonathan Dimbleby, who became a close friend of the monarch after writing a biography on him in 1994, said that, while the decision would have been difficult for any brother, Andrew's behavior made his demotion necessary.

“I suspect he will be feeling a measure of relief. His brother—this is not an easy thing for any brother to do, to be banished, eternal imprisonment in a way, on Sandringham Estate," Dimbleby said (per the Mirror). “We know his brother was boorish, arrogant, entitled, that he made an awful lot of bad friendships, all sorts of questions about how he got his own money—there is a lot that will be discussed."

And, Dimbleby pointed out, distancing Andrew from the royal family may also be important for the monarchy going forward.

“If there are further investigations, which I'm sure there will be into Andrew himself, the King himself will be quite separate from that and more importantly the institution of the monarchy will be detached from that," he added.

Still, Dimbleby says, the move, necessary as it was, has no doubt been stressful for Charles—who has already endured a great deal of stress in his personal life recently, due to his health issues.

“If this wasn't stressful, he's a human being, nothing would be stressful,” Jonathan Dimbleby, friend and biographer of the King, told BBC Radio 4 (per The Independent). “He is undergoing treatment for cancer, that is stressful enough."

In the statement announcing that Andrew would be stripped of his Prince title and evicted from his royal residence, Royal Lodge, Buckingham Palace explained:

"These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.

"Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and upmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse."