Britain's Prince Andrew gives up title of Duke of York
LONDON: Britain's Prince Andrew said on Friday (Oct 17) he would no longer use his title of Duke of York, after years of scandal surrounding his conduct and ties to the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew, 65, said the “continued accusations” about him had become a distraction for King Charles and the wider royal family, adding that he wanted to put his duty to family and country first.
“I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first,” Andrew said in a statement. “With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use the title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.”
He reiterated that he “vigorously denies the accusations” against him.
YEARS OF CONTROVERSY
The prince, once regarded as a dashing naval officer who served in the Falklands War, has seen his reputation collapse in recent years.
He was forced to step down from his trade ambassador role in 2011, quit royal duties in 2019, and was stripped of his military titles and patronages in 2022 following allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has always denied.
That same year, he reached an out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually abusing her as a teenager. Giuffre, who died in April, made fresh headlines this week with the release of her memoirs, which detailed her alleged encounters with Andrew.
In extracts published by The Guardian, she described the prince as “entitled” and said he believed “it was his birthright to have sex with her.”
PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR STRIPPING TITLES
A YouGov poll found that 67 per cent of Britons supported stripping Andrew of his remaining royal titles, while only 13 per cent opposed it. Another survey showed just 5 per cent of the public view him favourably.
Andrew, who had already relinquished the “His Royal Highness” style, will remain a prince and continue to live at Royal Lodge, a residence on the grounds of Windsor Castle, west of London.
However, he will no longer attend royal family gatherings, including the traditional Christmas celebrations at Sandringham.
His daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will not be affected, but his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will also lose the title of Duchess of York.
DAMAGING ASSOCIATIONS
In September, several charities cut ties with Sarah Ferguson after reports resurfaced that she had described Epstein as a “supreme friend” in an email sent three years after his 2008 conviction for sex offences.
Andrew’s business links have also drawn scrutiny. Court documents last year revealed that a Chinese businessman who had helped Andrew seek investors in China was later banned from Britain on national security grounds, with the government believing he was a spy.
The businessman, according to the documents, had been invited to Andrew’s birthday party, further intensifying concerns about his judgment and associations.
