Prince Andrew has relinquished his remaining royal titles, including the Duke of York, following discussions with King Charles III. The decision marks the end of a long public fall from grace that began with his disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview.
The prince will no longer use the titles Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, or Baron Killyleagh, nor his role as Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter. The move comes amid mounting pressure from senior royals and palace aides concerned about reputational damage to the monarchy.
Andrew has consistently denied allegations of sexual assault made by Virginia Giuffre, a victim of Jeffrey Epstein, with whom he settled a civil case in 2022. The timing of his decision coincides with the upcoming publication of Giuffre's memoir, which includes extracts published by the Guardian.
The king's upcoming historic visit to the Holy See next week is believed to have been a factor, as Charles sought to avoid overshadowing the occasion with further controversy. Andrew will also not attend the royal family's Christmas celebrations this year.
Despite losing his titles, Andrew remains a prince and eighth in line to the throne. He is still theoretically a counsellor of state, but this role is now considered purely nominal. The last time a dukedom was removed from a senior royal was in 1919, during World War I.
