Prince Andrew declared that he would no longer use the title Duke of York or the honors bestowed upon him, citing the distraction created by persistent allegations related to his previous relationships with Jeffrey Epstein, He denied any misconduct and gave up his royal insignia with the consent of King Charles III.
Though Andrew will still retain his birthright as a prince, he stated that the “continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family.”
This action follows Andrew’s 2019 resignation from public office due to increased scrutiny surrounding his friendship with Epstein. The tone and content of his 2019 BBC interview, which was meant to refute Virginia Giuffre’s accusations, garnered criticism from the public. Soon to be published, Giuffre’s posthumous biography has reignited claims that she was trafficked by Epstein and met Andrew when she was just 17. A 2022 out-of-court settlement of Andrew’s legal action, which was filed in 2021, acknowledged Giuffre as “an established victim of abuse.” Andrew has consistently refuted her allegations.
In addition to stepping away from the Duke of York title, Andrew will no longer use honours such as Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter.
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Sarah Ferguson, his ex-wife, will also give up the title of Duchess of York, but their daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, will continue to be princesses. The dukedom is still technically in place; only Parliament has the authority to completely abolish it. However, Andrew will no longer use it in public.
The decision was made in the midst of increased public attention and media scrutiny when Andrew’s foreign affiliations and financial dealings were made public. Tengbo Yang, a Chinese businessman Andrew was associated with, was implicated in previous investigations.
Due to security concerns, Yang was prohibited from entering the UK by British officials. The last time a senior royal was actually deprived of a dukedom was over a century ago, according to historian Anthony Seldon. It is unclear how this action will impact public opinion, Andrew’s connection with the royal family, and his remaining status.