🔗 Share this article Why the Duke of York Has Relinquished His Royal Titles – and the Implications for the Royal Family In a announcement released via the royal household, Prince Andrew has confirmed he is relinquishing his royal titles, such as the Duke of York. Below are the details of what has been revealed – and what wasn't. What Did the Prince Said? Having already stepped down as a working royal in 2019, the prince has now chosen to “go a step further” and agree not to use the “honor or the awards which have been conferred upon” him. However, he employed the announcement to make a point of rejecting – consistent with his past statements – the accusations of misconduct leveled at him; albeit after settling a substantial sum to settle the civil sexual assault case brought by Virginia Giuffre – a settlement in which he admitted no liability and strongly rejected any claims of improper conduct. There has been ongoing scrutiny on the monarchy regarding the allegations against Andrew – especially since his ill-fated Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis in 2019. He presently states he is acting to protect his relatives from additional harm resulting from media scrutiny. Did the Monarch Stripped Him of His Titles? No. And, while this might be viewed as a simple procedure, it holds importance in two respects: first, it enables the prince to publicly claim to have behaved with integrity in support of the crown. As he said in his statement: “I have decided, as I always have, to prioritize my obligations to my family and country first.” Second, while he has agreed to abstain from using it, Andrew retains his ducal title, along with the honors his earldom and his barony and the prestigious Garter role as a member of the prestigious order. Like the HRH royal style title, 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 can stand in for the king if he is overseas or unwell. However the palace has indicated that, in practice, he will not be asked to perform these duties. Nonetheless, it is significant that the prince's announcement said this choice was made “following talks with the king”. It appears little doubt that, privately, the palace advocated for this in the hope of cutting Andrew loose. Why Hasn’t He Formally Stripped of All of His Titles? To forcibly remove a dukedom would take legislative action, and would represent such a historic move in full view of the public – it has not happened to a senior 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 became such as the child of the sovereign. This could only be altered if a royal decree was enacted by the king. The entire procedure could end up being drawn-out, implying the goal of quickly addressing the issue – at least for the monarchy's interests – would not necessarily be achieved. What Are the Implications for Andrew? Humiliation, likely above all. The announcement signifies an effective loss of status he has fought against for a long time. The prince and his former spouse, Sarah, continue to reside in their Windsor residence, notwithstanding reported efforts by his brother to encourage Andrew to move out of the thirty-room royal residence in Windsor Great Park. While little light has been shed on exactly how much money the prince has obtained as a result of his position, he continues to be a wealthy individual. Back in 2007, he was able to raise £15m from the sale of a property that had been a gift from his mother, as an instance. What Prompted This? The continual series of controversies related to the prince has become intolerable for the king and other senior royals. His friendship with the jailed child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has again in the headlines following revelations Andrew had told him “we are in this together” in a message sent three months after he claimed to have ended communication. Additionally, there were stories about his association with an alleged Chinese spy and, recently, excerpts appeared from the posthumous memoir of Giuffre, who died by suicide in April. She alleged the prince “believed that engaging sexually with her was his birthright”. Furthermore, the king is scheduled to undertake a significant trip to see the pontiff next week, during which he will be the initial British king since Henry VIII broke from the Catholic Church in 1534 to worship openly with the pope and leader of Catholicism. He will not have wanted that trip to be marred by more negative headlines about Andrew. What Was the Response? Although he stated Giuffre had been “vindicated” by the decision, Giuffre’s brother Sky Roberts has told the Times that Andrew’s honorary prince title ought to be removed for “genuine accountability” to be done. The anti-monarchist campaign group Republic has additionally stated the action is “insufficient and delayed”, noting: “The prince continues to be accused of sexual offences and misuse of position. He should be stripped of all titles and his military position and should face a legal probe. Not using silly medieval titles is not a penalty that fits the offences.”