Why the Duke of York Has Relinquished His Royal Titles – and What It Means for the Monarchy
In a announcement released via the royal household, Prince Andrew has declared that he will be giving up his royal titles, including the Duke of York. Below is an overview of what was announced – and what remains unchanged.
What Has Andrew Said?
Having already withdrawn as a working royal in 2019, the prince has now decided to “go a step further” and consent to refrain from using the “honor or the honours which have been conferred upon” him.
But he also employed the announcement to emphatically denying – consistent with his past statements – the allegations of misconduct leveled at him; albeit having paid out millions to settle the legal claim filed by Virginia Giuffre – an agreement in which he accepted no fault and firmly denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
There has existed persistent pressure on the monarchy regarding the allegations involving the prince – particularly after his disastrous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis in 2019. He now claims he is acting to safeguard the royal family from further damage caused by public speculation.
Has the King Removed Him of His Honors?
Not at all. And although this could be dismissed as a mere formality, it is significant in two respects: initially, it allows Andrew to openly state to have behaved with integrity in defence of the monarchy. As stated in his announcement: “I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first.”
Additionally, while he has agreed to abstain from using it, the prince keeps the dukedom, along with the honors his earldom and his barony and the esteemed position as Royal Knight Companion of the prestigious order. Similar to the royal style honorific, they are effectively dormant.
He remains royalty and eighth in succession to the throne. In theory, he is also still a counsellor of state – and can stand in for the sovereign should he be abroad or ill. Although the palace has made clear that, realistically, he will not be called upon to fulfil this role.
Nonetheless, it is telling that the prince's announcement said the decision was made “in discussion with the king”. There seems little doubt that, behind the scenes, the palace pushed for the move in the hope of distancing the institution from Andrew.
Why Hasn’t He Formally Stripped of All of His Titles?
To forcibly remove a ducal title would require an act of parliament, and would constitute such a historic move in full view of the public – it has not occurred to a high-ranking royal in more than 100 years – that it could result in further harm to the image for the royals.
Andrew is also a royal by birth. At his birth in 1960, he was automatically as the child of the sovereign. This would only be changed if a letters patent was issued by the reigning monarch.
The entire procedure might ultimately being protracted, implying the objective of swiftly resolving the matter – particularly for the monarchy's interests – may not be achieved.
What Does It Mean for the Prince?
Humiliation, likely above all. The announcement signifies an substantial reduction of status he has resisted for a long time.
The prince and his former spouse, Sarah, still live in their Windsor residence, despite reported efforts by his brother to encourage Andrew to move out of the thirty-room royal residence in Windsor Great Park.
Although limited information has been revealed about the precise amount of funds Andrew has received due to his status, he remains a person of means. In 2007, he was able to raise £15m by selling a property that had been a wedding present from the queen, for example.
Why Now?
The seemingly endless list of scandals related to the prince has proved intolerable for the monarch and other senior royals.
His association with the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is once again under scrutiny after it emerged that the prince stated to him “we are in this together” in an email dispatched months subsequent to his assertion to have ended communication.
Additionally, there were reports about his association with an alleged Chinese spy and, recently, excerpts were published from the book released after death of Giuffre, who took her own life in April. She alleged the prince “believed that having sex with me was his entitlement”.
Furthermore, the king is scheduled to undertake a significant trip to meet Pope Leo soon, when he will become the initial British king since Henry VIII split with Rome in 1534 to worship openly with the pope and head of the Catholic church. He will not have wanted that trip to be marred by further adverse coverage about Andrew.
What Has Been the Reaction?
While he said his sister had been “justified” by the move, her sibling Sky Roberts informed a newspaper that Andrew’s honorary prince title ought to be removed for “true justice” to be achieved.
The republican campaign group Republic has also said the action is “insufficient and delayed”, noting: “The prince continues to be accused of sexual offences and misuse of position. He ought to be divested of every honor and his military position and should face a legal probe. Refraining from using silly medieval titles is not a punishment that matches the accusations.”
