Prince Andrew has announced he will no longer use his royal titles and honours
Despite being stripped of his other titles, Prince Andrew will retain one significant Royal privilege.
Following discussions with King Charles and Prince William, he announced last night that he would no longer use his Royal titles and honours, amid ongoing controversy surrounding his association with Jeffrey Epstein.
This includes the Duke of York title, which he has held since marrying Sarah Ferguson in 1986, and his membership in the Order of the Garter, the highest order of chivalry. Palace insiders have indicated that he will no longer be invited to Christmas at Sandringham and is likely to be excluded from major Royal events.
However, Andrew will continue to hold the title of prince, and his daughters will remain princesses. These are birthright titles that cannot be revoked.
He will also be permitted to reside at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, thanks to a “cast-iron” tenancy agreement that lasts until 2078, reports the Express.
The 30-room residence is located a few miles from Windsor Castle and half a mile from the new home of the Wales family, Forest Lodge.
Andrew’s loss of his titles follows revelations by The Sun that he had lied about his last contact with Epstein during his 2019 Newsnight interview.
The prince claimed that he severed ties with Epstein in November 2010, a few months after the financier completed his 18-month sentence for procuring a girl under the age of 18 for prostitution.
In fact, Andrew had emailed him in February 2011 saying: “Don’t worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it. Otherwise keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon! ! ! !”.
The family of Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was trafficked to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, has said the prince being stripped of titles is a “victory”.
They added: “This decisive action is a powerful step forward in our fight to bring Epstein and Maxwell’s child sex-trafficking network to justice. Further, we believe it is appropriate for King Charles to remove the title of Prince.
“This moment serves as a victory for Virginia, who consistently maintained he knows what happened, I know what happened… there’s only one of us telling the truth, and I know that’s me”.
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