Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

After more than two years of being banned from leaving Romania, Andrew and Tristan Tate have flown out of Bucharest.

They were still facing criminal prosecution on very serious charges, so what has changed and where are they heading?

Romanian reports suggest they are heading for the US, reportedly Florida, and the US would be their most likely destination. But why now?

Earlier this month Romania's Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu told Romanian TV that President Trump's special envoy had brought up the issue of the Tate brothers during a conversation at the Munich Security Conference.

Hurezeanu said he hadn't considered Richard Grenell's approach as a "form of pressure", although Grenell told the FT his support for the brothers was evident.

Does this mean their criminal case in Romania is over? That seems highly unlikely and the BBC is approaching prosecutors in Bucharest for comment.

They are also facing separate, unrelated charges in the UK as well as a separate case in Florida, so their extended stay in Romania may be over, but the legal cases against them have not gone away.

Andrew Tate denied fuelling a culture of misogyny and defended his reputation in a combative interview with the BBC in 2023.

When the BBC put a range of allegations to him - including specific accusations of rape, human trafficking and exploiting women, for which he is being investigated by Romanian prosecutors - he dismissed them.

When pushed on whether his controversial views on women harmed young people, the influencer claimed he was a "force for good" and that he was "acting under the instruction of God to do good things".

When asked about organisations that blamed him for increased incidents of girls being attacked, and female teachers being harassed, he said: "I have never, ever encouraged a student to attack a teacher, male or female, ever."

Image source, EPA

Andrew Tate was detained alongside his brother Tristan in December 2022 in a suburb of the Romanian capital, Bucharest, as part of an investigation into allegations of human trafficking and rape, which they deny. The pair were charged along with two Romanian female suspects in June 2023.

In response to the charges against them, the media team for the Tate brothers said: "While this news is undoubtedly predictable, we embrace the opportunity it presents to demonstrate their innocence and vindicate their reputation."

In December 2023, the Tate brothers were ordered not to leave Romania after they made a request to visit their mother in hospital in the UK.

A Romanian court ruled in early July 2024 that Tate and his brother could leave the country but had to stay within the European Union.

This decision was opposed by prosecutors, and overturned less than two weeks later by the Bucharest Court of Appeal.

Andrew Tate, 38, and his brother Tristan were arrested in Romania three years ago and face trial on allegations of rape, trafficking minors and money laundering, all of which they deny.

Separately, the brothers are wanted by police in the UK over allegations of rape and human trafficking, which they also deny. Their extradition to the UK will be dealt with once the Romania case finishes.

The pair, who have dual UK-US nationality, had been banned from leaving Romania, but this ban now appears to have been lifted.

Romania's prime minster had previously denied being pressured by the US government to allow the brothers, who hold dual UK-US nationality, to travel.

The Tate brothers have wide support on right-wing social media and supported Trump during the US election campaign.

Nick Thorpe
Central Europe correspondent, in Bucharest

Andrew and Tristan Tate left Romania soon after 05:00 local time (03:00 GMT) this morning, reliable sources in Bucharest have told the BBC.

They are believed to have left by private jet from the Baneasa airport, heading in the direction of the US.