Apparently, the disgraced former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is still a duke. In fact, he may not have even lost his dukedom at all!?
Here is everything we know so far…
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor still carries Duke of York title by law
Andrew may have been stripped of his titles and official privileges, but legally, he remains the Duke of York.
Despite King Charles’ decision to remove his younger brother’s “Prince” title and HRH styling earlier this month, ministers have confirmed that the dukedom itself is still intact, unless Parliament decides otherwise.
Andrew was given the title Duke of York in 1986 when he married Sarah Ferguson.
While the king can remove titles and honours using special royal rules (called Letters Patent), dukedoms are a type of hereditary peerage, and removing them would need a new law.
This clarification came in response to pressure at Westminster to formalise the king’s actions.
Labour peer Viscount Stansgate raised the issue. He asked the government if further steps would be taken to legislate the removal of Andrew’s dukedom.
As reported by The Mirror, Labour frontbencher Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent responded: “Following the statement made by Buckingham Palace on October 30, the entitlement to the title of ‘Prince’ and the style of ‘Royal Highness’ has been removed by Letters Patent.
The title of the Duke of York has been removed from the Roll of the Peerage and will no longer be used officially. There is therefore no need for legislation to implement the measures that have been announced.”
However, a Commons briefing revealed the truth. While the title won’t be used officially anymore, it still legally exists. It cannot be revoked without a formal Act of Parliament.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor scandal
Andrew lost his royal titles due to ongoing backlash over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Virginia Giuffre, who accused Andrew of sexually abusing her as a teenager, tragically took her life in April. Giuffre claimed that she was trafficked to the former prince at the age of 17 by Jeffrey Epstein.
Back in 2022, Andrew paid millions to settle a lawsuit with Giuffre in the U.S. He did not admit guilt and continues to deny all allegations.
But public outrage has continued, especially in light of Giuffre’s posthumous memoir and resurfaced emails between Andrew and Epstein.
One 2011 email appeared to show Andrew telling the disgraced financier, “we’ll play some more soon”. This is despite his claim that he severed ties with Epstein in 2010.
Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, has also faced backlash over a resurfaced email from 2011, in which she referred to Epstein as a “supreme friend.” Following the email’s release, several charities cut ties with her, removing her as a patron. She also lost her Duchess of York title.
The Metropolitan Police is now reportedly looking into claims that Andrew passed Giuffre’s personal data to his taxpayer-funded bodyguard in 2011 to investigate her.
Meanwhile, Andrew is expected to move out of Royal Lodge, his home near Windsor Castle, sometime next year. Reports say he’ll live at Sandringham, the king’s private estate in Norfolk.
Royal Insider has contacted Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s representatives for comment.
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