Prince Andrew, the embattled younger brother of King Charles III, announced Friday that he will no longer use his title of Duke of York or the royal honors attached to it. The move comes as renewed attention swirls around his longtime association with Jeffrey Epstein and new allegations detailed in a forthcoming memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who accused the royal of sexual assault when she was a minor.
In a statement released through Buckingham Palace, Andrew said the “continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” adding that with the King’s agreement, “I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.”
While Andrew will cease using his peerage and honors — including the Order of the Garter and Royal Victorian Order — he retains the title “Prince” by birthright as the son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Revoking his dukedom outright would require an Act of Parliament, meaning it remains legally his, even if he is no longer styled as “His Royal Highness” or addressed publicly as Duke of York.
The decision follows a years-long public reckoning for the 65-year-old royal, who stepped back from official duties in 2019 and later settled Giuffre’s U.S. civil lawsuit for a reported £12 million without admitting liability.
For the monarchy, already facing questions about its relevance and transparency, Andrew’s quiet surrender of titles represents yet another effort to distance the institution from one of its most damaging scandals.
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