Councils across the UK are consulting on renaming streets named after Prince Andrew, as residents report feeling embarrassed when giving their addresses. Streets bearing the former prince's name exist in locations from Broadstairs to Belfast to Birmingham, including roads, avenues, and crescents.
In Carfergus, Northern Ireland, Prince Andrew Way is set to be renamed after Mid and East Antrim council passed a motion described as 'sad but necessary'. A public consultation is underway. In Maidenhead, Berkshire, residents of Prince Andrew Road and Prince Andrew Close have complained of 'smirks' and 'raised eyebrows'. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has eased regulations to require only two-thirds of residents to agree for a name change, rather than unanimous consent.
Other councils in Cambridge, Hitchin, Telford, Newport, Enniskillen, and Dungannon are considering options following Andrew's loss of royal titles amid sex allegations he denies. However, renaming is complex: residents must update bank accounts, driving licences, property deeds, and even pet microchips. Consensus on a new name is also challenging, as seen when Black Boy Lane in Tottenham was renamed La Rose Lane in 2023 after a three-year process costing at least £50,000.
Councils must consult emergency services and Royal Mail to avoid duplicates. GeoPlace's manual discourages naming streets after living people to avoid such situations. Other problematic street names include Plaza Margaret Thatcher in Madrid, which has been vandalised, and Churchill Street in Tehran, renamed Bobby Sands Street.
