Prince Andrew Relinquishes Use of All Remaining Royal Titles Amid Renewed Scandal
Published Date: 18th Oct, 2025
LONDON – Prince Andrew has announced he will immediately cease using his royal titles and honors, including his most prominent title, Duke of York. The dramatic move, confirmed in a statement from Buckingham Palace, represents the near-complete severance of his public identity from the British monarchy.
The decision was made in discussion with his elder brother, King Charles III, and the wider royal family, as a new wave of controversy regarding Andrew’s association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein threatened to overshadow the King’s work.
In the statement, Prince Andrew said: "In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country fir
He added that he and the King agreed he must "go a step further," leading to the decision: "I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."
The Final Step in a Long Decline
The relinquishing of the titles, which include the dukedom, the Earldom of Inverness, the Barony of Killyleagh, and his most prestigious honor, the Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter, is the culmination of years of escalating fallout.
Andrew had already stepped back from all public duties in 2019 following a disastrous television interview about his friendship with Epstein. In 2022, he was stripped of his military affiliations and his HRH (His Royal Highness) style was put into abeyance after he settled a civil sexual assault lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre, which he denied.
This latest move comes on the heels of new media revelations, including excerpts from a posthumous memoir by Ms. Giuffre, and reports linking Andrew to an alleged Chinese spy. The scandals had reached a "tipping point" for the Palace, according to royal observers, making Andrew's voluntary surrender of his titles the most straightforward solution to protect the monarchy's reputation.
What Remains and What Changes
While Andrew has promised to stop using the titles, the legal removal of the dukedom would require an Act of Parliament. Thus, he technically retains the title, but it remains inactive, much like his HRH styling.
He remains Prince Andrew by birthright as the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will also cease using her title of Duchess of York.
Their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their titles and places in the line of succession, as their status is independent of their father's dukedom.
Andrew is now expected to live a life entirely in the private sphere, having lost all vestiges of a working royal. The family of the late Ms. Giuffre released a statement following the news, calling the decision a "vindication" for her and other survivors.
Date: 18th Oct, 2025
