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PRINCE Andrew has announced he will no longer use the title Duke of York, stating that the ongoing controversy surrounding him has become a distraction to King Charles and the wider work of the royal family.
Reuters cited today that, in a written statement on Friday, Andrew said: “The continued accusations about me distracted from the work of my elder brother King Charles and the wider work of the British 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. 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 confirmed the decision followed discussions with senior members of the royal family, and that the King welcomed the outcome.
Andrew, 65, who remains eighth in line to the throne, had already ceased using the style “His Royal Highness” and was stripped of his military roles and royal patronages in 2022 following allegations of sexual misconduct. He has denied all allegations.
That same year, he settled a civil lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. He has consistently denied the claims. Giuffre died earlier this year, and the allegations have resurfaced with the publication of her memoir, in which she alleged Andrew believed it was his “birthright” to have sex with her.
The Prince, once celebrated for his military service during the Falklands War and later appointed a UK trade envoy, saw his public reputation collapse due to his longstanding friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Further scrutiny followed in 2023 when court documents revealed the British government believed a close business associate of Andrew’s to be a Chinese spy. The man, previously authorised to seek investment opportunities on Andrew’s behalf in China, was subsequently banned from the UK on national security grounds. Andrew said he had severed all ties with him.
Royal biographer Robert Hardman told the BBC: “Things are simply not going away… I think the palace has decided, and Prince Andrew has agreed, that there really has to be a further separation. He wants to look as if he’s proactive and try and regain some dignity out of this.”
Public opinion appears strongly in favour of the move. A recent YouGov poll found 67% of Britons supported stripping Andrew of his remaining royal titles, with only 13% opposed. Another poll showed just 5% of respondents held a favourable view of him.
Despite relinquishing the Duke of York title, Andrew will remain a prince and continue living at Royal Lodge, a large residence on the Windsor estate. However, he is no longer expected to attend key family gatherings, including Christmas at Sandringham.
His daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, are not affected by the decision. His former wife, Sarah Ferguson, will also lose the courtesy of the Duchess of York title. In September, several charities distanced themselves from Ferguson after it emerged she had described Epstein as a “supreme friend” in a 2011 email, despite his earlier conviction in the United States.
Though the title will not be formally revoked, its suspension marks a rare and significant step in royal history. Historian Anthony Seldon noted that the last time a senior royal was stripped of a dukedom occurred more than a century ago.
“Looking historically, this is a very, very significant step,” Seldon told the BBC.
The royal family has faced considerable change in recent years, with Prince Harry and his wife Meghan also stepping away from official duties. The latest development further reduces the number of senior working royals at a time when King Charles is aiming to streamline the monarchy. - October 18, 2025