Britain’s Prince Andrew announced on Friday that he would no longer use his title of Duke of York, following years of criticism over his conduct and associations with the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The decision, which comes after discussions with senior members of the royal family, marks another significant step back for the 65-year-old royal, whose public reputation has been severely damaged in recent years.
In a statement, Andrew said ongoing allegations against him were distracting from the work of King Charles III and the wider royal family.
“I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life,” he said.
“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. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
A royal source said the decision was made after consultation with the king, who was “glad about the outcome.”
Once celebrated as a dashing naval officer who served in the Falklands War, Prince Andrew’s standing has steadily declined. He first stepped down from his role as a UK trade ambassador in 2011, later withdrew from all royal duties in 2019, and was stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages in 2022 amid allegations of sexual misconduct claims he has consistently denied.
That same year, Andrew reached an out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. Although he did not admit liability, the lawsuit severely tarnished his public image. Giuffre’s memoir, published last week before her death in April, has reignited attention on the case.
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Royal commentator Robert Hardman told the BBC that “the palace has decided, and Prince Andrew has agreed, that there really has to be a further separation,” adding that the prince was likely trying “to regain some dignity” through his decision.
Public sentiment in Britain has largely turned against the prince. A recent YouGov poll found that 67% of Britons supported stripping him of his remaining royal titles, while only 5% viewed him favourably.
Andrew, who has already relinquished the style “His Royal Highness,” will remain a prince and continue to live at Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate. However, he will no longer attend royal Christmas gatherings at Sandringham.
His daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will remain unaffected, though his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, will also cease to be known as the Duchess of York.
Ferguson herself has faced backlash for referring to Epstein as a “supreme friend” in a 2011 email, sent three years after he was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor. Several charities severed ties with her earlier this year.
Andrew’s business dealings have also drawn scrutiny. A court ruling last year revealed that a Chinese businessman who had been authorised to act on his behalf in China had been barred from entering Britain on national security grounds, after being identified by the government as a possible spy.
Historians say the prince’s relinquishment of his dukedom title is a rare and significant move. Professor Anthony Seldon told the BBC that the last time a senior royal lost a dukedom was more than a century ago.
“Looking historically, this is a very, very significant step,” Seldon said.
