Prince Andrew, the third-eldest child of the late Queen Elizabeth II, finds himself on the verge of losing his royal title. He will no longer be known as a prince. As of October 30, that all changed in a magnificent way, as Buckingham Palace declared… His royal highness has been stripped of his royal title and henceforth will be called Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. This decision comes amid other recent controversies regarding his previous collaborations with notable racists. It focuses especially on his connection to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Born with the title “Prince Andrew,” he has given up the titles of Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh. There’s no getting that back, nor the even more prestigious “His Royal Highness.” He was stripped of honors of the Order of the Garter and the Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order. The Crown Office recently communicated these procedural changes in The Gazette. King Charles III made the move to strip Andrew of his titles to remove the potential distractions, even accidental ones, from Andrew’s royal life.
Just earlier in October, Andrew made headlines after announcing that he was stepping back from public life, and renouncing his use of the Duke of York title. He expressed that “the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.” This claim is ruefully indicative of how badly his conduct has affected not only the royal family’s popular image, but his situation.
In a formal communication, Buckingham Palace stated, “Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.” They noted, “These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.” The palace emphasized its commitment to supporting victims of abuse, asserting that “the thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
The stripping of Prince Andrew’s titles continues a historic and sudden unraveling of his public life. As the brother of King Charles III, Prince Edward’s role in the royal family is particularly important. His example and choices truly set the tone for the health and future of his monarchy. The royal family want to get back to re-building public trust and being able to do their job without excessive distractions.
