Prince Andrew has relinquished his Duke of York title and all associated honours following years of fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. The King's brother announced via Buckingham Palace on Friday evening that he will "no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me".
The prestigious dukedom was a wedding gift from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, in 1986. The title held personal significance for the Queen as it was previously held by her beloved father, King George VI, before he became monarch.
Scandal background
Andrew stepped down from public duties in 2019 amid mounting pressure over his association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. He was subsequently stripped of his military patronages and stopped using his HRH style, though he continued appearing at family events including the King's coronation.
Recent revelations have intensified scrutiny of the Duke's past. Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was trafficked and forced to have sex with Andrew three times, wrote in her upcoming memoir that Andrew acted as if sex with her was his "birthright". New emails also emerged showing Andrew telling Epstein "we are in this together" three months after claiming he had cut contact.
What he's giving up
Andrew will stop using multiple titles and honours received throughout his life. These include his wedding day titles of Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh, plus his knighthood as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.
Most significantly, he relinquishes his role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. This means he can no longer attend the annual Garter Day service at Windsor Castle, where Knights process in ceremonial robes to St George's Chapel each June.
What remains unchanged
Despite relinquishing his titles, Andrew remains a prince by birth. Only a Letters Patent issued by the King could change this fundamental status, as he was automatically a prince when born in 1960 as the son of a monarch.
The titles themselves still exist but lie dormant. Parliament would need to pass legislation to completely strip Andrew of the dukedom, which royal sources consider an unnecessary use of parliamentary time.
Family impact
Andrew's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, remain unaffected and retain their princess titles. Both Andrew and the King reportedly want to ensure the daughters' status remains unchanged.
His ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will revert to her maiden name and no longer use the courtesy title Sarah, Duchess of York. Ferguson faced her own scrutiny last month when it emerged she had written to Epstein calling him a "supreme friend" despite publicly disowning him.
Practical consequences
Andrew will no longer attend Christmas celebrations at Sandringham with the royal family, preventing his traditional Christmas Day church walk alongside senior royals. He remains a Counsellor of State but this role is described as "inactive", with only working royals called upon to perform such duties.
The prince continues living at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, despite rumoured pressure from the King to relocate. Andrew reportedly signed a 75-year lease on the Crown Estate property in 2003.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
