The Reasons the Duke of York Has Relinquished His Official Titles – and the Implications for the Royal Family
In a announcement released by Buckingham Palace, the king's brother has declared he is giving up his official honors, including the Duke of York. Here are the details of what has been announced – and what wasn't.
What Has Andrew Said?
Having already stepped down as a working royal in 2019, Andrew has now chosen 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 make a point of rejecting – as he has always done – the allegations of sexual impropriety leveled at him; even though after settling millions to settle the legal claim brought by Virginia Giuffre – an agreement in which he accepted no fault and firmly denied all allegations of improper conduct.
There has been persistent pressure on the monarchy regarding the claims involving the prince – particularly after his disastrous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis in 2019. He now claims he is acting to protect the royal family from additional harm resulting from public speculation.
Did the Monarch Stripped Him of His Titles?
Not at all. And, while this could be dismissed as a mere formality, it is significant in multiple ways: initially, it allows Andrew to publicly claim to have acted honourably in support of the monarchy. As he said in his announcement: “I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first.”
Additionally, although he consented to abstain from using it, Andrew retains his ducal title, as well as the honors the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh and the esteemed position as Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter. Like the HRH His Royal Highness title, they are effectively dormant.
He continues to be a prince and eighth in succession to the throne. In theory, he remains still a counsellor of state – and can stand in for the king should he be abroad or ill. Although royal officials has made clear that, in practice, he will not be asked to perform these duties.
Nevertheless, it is telling that the prince's announcement said the decision was made “following talks with the king”. There seems highly likely that, privately, the royal household advocated for the move in the aim of cutting Andrew loose.
Why Was He Not Been Officially Stripped of His Entire Honors?
To forcibly remove a dukedom would require legislative action, and would constitute an unprecedented step publicly before the public – it has not happened to a senior royal in more than 100 years – that it would likely cause more reputational damage for the monarchy.
The prince remains still a prince. When he was born in 1960, he was automatically such as the child of the sovereign. This would only be changed if a royal decree was enacted by the king.
The entire procedure could end up being protracted, implying the objective of quickly addressing the issue – particularly for the royal family’s purposes – would not necessarily be met.
What Does It Mean for the Prince?
Humiliation, likely above all. The announcement represents an effective loss of status he has resisted for a long time.
He and his ex-wife, Sarah, continue to reside in Royal Lodge, notwithstanding rumoured attempts by his brother to encourage Andrew to move out of the thirty-room Crown Estate property in the Windsor estate.
Although limited information has been revealed about exactly how much funds Andrew has received due to his status, he continues to be a wealthy individual. In 2007, he managed to secure £15m by selling a home that had been a gift from his mother, for example.
Why Now?
The seemingly endless list of scandals involving Andrew has become intolerable for the king and other senior royals.
His association with the jailed sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein is once again under scrutiny after it emerged Andrew had told him “we are in this together” in a message dispatched months after he claimed to have ceased contact.
Additionally, there were stories about his connections with an alleged Chinese spy and, recently, extracts were published from the posthumous memoir of Giuffre, who took her own life in April. She claimed Andrew “believed that engaging sexually with her was his entitlement”.
Furthermore, the king is scheduled to undertake a significant trip to meet Pope Leo next week, during which he will be the initial British king after Henry the Eighth split with Rome in 1534 to pray publicly with the Holy Father and head of the Catholic church. He would not desire that trip to be overshadowed by further adverse coverage about his brother.
What Was the Response?
While he said Giuffre had been “vindicated” by the move, her sibling Sky Roberts has told a newspaper that the prince's style should be revoked for “true justice” to be done.
The anti-monarchist advocacy organization Republic has also said the action is “insufficient and delayed”, adding: “The prince continues to be facing allegations of sexual offences and misuse of position. He should be stripped of every honor and his military position and should face a criminal investigation. Refraining from using archaic honors is not a penalty that matches the accusations.”
