Four out of five Britons want Prince Andrew to be formally stripped of his dukedom, a YouGov poll revealed, intensifying pressure on the King's brother over his Royal Lodge residence. The survey of nearly 6,700 adults found 80% back official removal of the Duke of York title, with 63% "strongly" in favour and 17% "somewhat" supporting the idea.
The prince announced last week he would stop using his Duke of York title to avoid distracting from royal work, but the poll shows public appetite for formal action goes beyond voluntary relinquishment. Only legislation can strip the prince of the title, so it currently remains held in abeyance.
Political pressure intensifies
Senior Conservative Robert Jenrick said: "It's about time Prince Andrew took himself off to live in private and make his own way in life." The shadow justice secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "He has disgraced himself, he has embarrassed the royal family time and again. I don't see why the taxpayer, frankly, should continue to foot the bill at all. The public are sick of him."
Asked if Andrew should leave his Windsor residence, Jenrick said: "I don't think the taxpayer in any way should be footing the bill for him to live in luxury homes ever again." Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokeswoman Lisa Smart said Andrew "should show some contrition by returning every penny of rent that he's not paid while disgracing his office".
Royal Lodge lease controversy
Crown Estate documents show Andrew signed a 75-year lease on the 30-room Royal Lodge mansion in 2003, paying £1 million upfront and since then just "one peppercorn" of rent "if demanded" per year. Andrew was also required to pay £7.5 million for refurbishments completed in 2005, according to the National Audit Office.
The lease agreement contains a clause requiring the Crown Estate to pay Andrew around £558,000 if he voluntarily surrenders the lease. Under the lease terms, Andrew must repaint the mansion's exterior with two coats every five years and clean the stonework, while also repainting the interior every seven years and ensuring he "paper polish decorate" the seven-bedroom home respectfully.
Parliamentary oversight considered
MPs could examine the Crown Estate's handling of Andrew's lease arrangement, with concerns raised about potential lost revenue to public finances. Dame Meg Hillier, chairwoman of the Treasury Committee, said: "Where money flows, particularly where taxpayers' money is involved, or taxpayers' interests are involved, Parliament has a responsibility to have a light shine upon that, and we need to have answers."
The Public Accounts Committee said its inquiry programme was "currently full up until the new year" but would decide "in due course" whether to investigate the Royal Lodge matter. The National Audit Office will examine the Crown Estate's annual report in the next financial year as part of normal procedures.
Legal challenges emerge
Ben Mayfield, a law lecturer at Lancaster University, warned that ending the prince's lease early would prove problematic. He said: "I have no sympathy with the actions he is alleged to have taken, but ending a lease - even though this is quite a cheap deal for Andrew - would be the same in English law as asking someone to forfeit their house for no money and that's a difficult precedent to set."
Campaign group Republic unveiled banners reading "End Royal Secrecy" outside Royal Lodge gates, demanding a "full, unrelenting investigation" into royal links to Jeffrey Epstein. The anti-monarchy group displayed signs reading "What are you hiding? Royal Epstein Inquiry Now".
Epstein allegations context
Andrew's connections to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein have dominated headlines for days, with renewed focus on sex accuser Virginia Giuffre's allegations following publication of her posthumous memoirs. The prince vehemently denies Giuffre's claims that she was forced to have sex with him three times, including when she was 17.
Amy Wallace, co-writer of Giuffre's memoirs, told BBC Newsnight: "I know that she would view it as a victory that he was forced by whatever means to voluntarily give them up." Wallace added: "Virginia wanted all the men who she'd been trafficked to against her will to be held to account and this is just one of the men but… even though he continues to deny it, his life is being eroded because of his past behaviour as it should be."
Government response
Downing Street referenced the 2005 National Audit Office report, saying the public spending watchdog had not raised concerns about Royal Lodge arrangements. A Number 10 spokesman said: "An independent evaluation concluded that the transaction with Prince Andrew and Royal Lodge was appropriate."
Giuffre's brother and sister-in-law have called on the police watchdog to review the Metropolitan Police's decision not to continue investigating her allegations against Andrew. The Crown Estate's profits are handed to the Treasury for national finances, raising concerns about potential lost revenue from the peppercorn rent arrangement.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
