In a announcement issued via the royal household, Prince Andrew has confirmed he is relinquishing his royal titles, such as his dukedom. Below is an overview of what was announced – and what remains unchanged.
After previously withdrawn as a active member of the monarchy in 2019, Andrew has currently chosen to “go a step further” and consent not to use the “honor or the honours which have been granted to” him.
But he also employed the announcement to emphatically rejecting – consistent with his past statements – the allegations of sexual impropriety made against him; even though after settling a substantial sum to settle the legal claim brought by Virginia Giuffre – a settlement in which he admitted no liability and firmly denied any claims of wrongdoing.
There has been ongoing scrutiny on the monarchy regarding the claims against Andrew – particularly after his ill-fated Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis in 2019. He now claims he is acting to safeguard his relatives from additional harm caused by media scrutiny.
Not at all. And, while this could be dismissed as a mere formality, it is significant in multiple ways: initially, it enables the prince to openly state to have acted honourably in support of the monarchy. As stated in his announcement: “I have chosen, consistent with my past, to put my duty to my family and the nation first.”
Additionally, while he has agreed to abstain from using it, Andrew retains his ducal title, along with the titles his earldom and his barony and the prestigious Garter role as Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter. Similar to the His Royal Highness honorific, they are effectively inactive.
He remains a prince and eighth in the line of succession. Theoretically, he is also a potential stand-in for the monarch – and may deputize for the sovereign if he is overseas or ill. However the palace has made clear that, in practice, he would not be called upon to fulfil this role.
Nonetheless, it is significant that Andrew’s statement indicated this choice was made “following talks with the monarch”. It appears highly likely that, privately, the palace advocated for this in the hope of cutting Andrew loose.
To revoke a dukedom would take legislative action, and would represent such a historic move publicly before the public – it has not occurred to a high-ranking royal in over a century – that it could cause more reputational damage for the royals.
Andrew is also a royal by birth. When he was born in 1960, he was automatically such as the son of a monarch. This could only be altered if a letters patent was issued by the king.
The whole process might ultimately being drawn-out, implying the objective of swiftly resolving the issue – at least for the royal family’s purposes – may not be met.
Humiliation, probably more than anything else. The announcement signifies an effective loss of standing he has fought against for a long time.
The prince and his former spouse, Sarah, still live in Royal Lodge, notwithstanding reported efforts by the king to encourage his brother to move out of the 30-room Crown Estate property in the Windsor estate.
Although limited information has been shed on exactly how much funds Andrew has received due to his position, he remains a person of means. Back in 2007, he was able to raise £15m by selling a property that had been a wedding present from the queen, for example.
The seemingly endless list of scandals related to the prince has become unacceptable for the king and other senior royals.
His association with the jailed child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has again in the headlines following revelations that the prince stated to him “we share this situation” in an email sent three months after he claimed to have ceased contact.
Additionally, there were stories about his association with a suspected intelligence operative and, this week, extracts appeared from the posthumous memoir of Giuffre, who died by suicide in April. She claimed the prince “believed that engaging sexually with her was his birthright”.
Moreover, the king is scheduled to undertake a significant trip to meet Pope Leo next week, when he will become the first English monarch after Henry the Eighth broke from the Catholic Church in 1534 to pray publicly with the pope and head of the Catholic church. He will not have wanted that trip to be marred by more negative headlines about his brother.
Although he stated Giuffre had been “vindicated” by the move, her sibling Sky Roberts has told the Times that the prince's style ought to be removed for “genuine accountability” to be done.
The anti-monarchist advocacy organization Republic has also said the move is “too little, too late”, adding: “The prince continues to be accused of sexual offences and abuse of office. He should be divested of all titles and his military position and should undergo a legal probe. Refraining from using silly medieval titles is not a penalty that matches the accusations.”
