Prince Andrew has agreed to relinquish his use of the Duke of York title and associated royal honours, Buckingham Palace announced. The duke will no longer use the style of His Royal Highness or the honour of Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, leaving only his princely title intact.
In a statement released through the palace, Andrew said: '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 my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.' He reiterated his denial of the accusations against him.
The decision follows discussions with King Charles and other family members, including the Prince of Wales. Technically, the dukedom cannot be removed without an act of parliament and remains extant but inactive, similar to his HRH status. Sarah, Duchess of York, will also cease using her title and be known simply as Sarah Ferguson; the titles of their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, remain unaffected.
The move comes amid ongoing scrutiny over Andrew’s association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegations from Virginia Giuffre, who died earlier this year. In her posthumous memoir, Giuffre claimed the prince 'believed that having sex with me was his birthright'. Andrew settled a civil case with her in 2022 for a reported £12m without admitting liability. Giuffre’s family called the title surrender 'vindication for Virginia'.
Separately, Andrew has faced questions over meetings with Chinese official Cai Qi in 2018 and 2019, linked to a now-dropped spying case against two British nationals. Palace aides reportedly reached a 'tipping point' over the reputational risk to the monarchy from continued headlines.
