🔗 Share this article The Reasons the Duke of York Has Relinquished His Official Honors – and the Implications for the Royal Family In a announcement released by Buckingham Palace, the king's brother has declared that he will be giving up his royal titles, including his dukedom. Here is an overview of what was announced – and what remains unchanged. What Did the Prince Announced? Having already stepped down as a working royal in 2019, Andrew has currently decided to “take additional measures” and consent to refrain from using the “honor or the honours which have been conferred upon” him. But he also used the statement to emphatically rejecting – as he has always done – the accusations of sexual impropriety made against him; even though having paid out a substantial sum to settle the civil sexual assault case brought by Virginia Giuffre – a settlement in which he accepted no fault and firmly denied any claims of wrongdoing. There has been ongoing scrutiny on the monarchy over the claims involving the prince – especially since his disastrous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis in 2019. He now claims that his actions are to protect the royal family from further damage resulting from public speculation. Has the King Stripped Him of His Honors? No. And, while this might be viewed as a mere formality, it is significant in multiple ways: initially, it enables the prince to publicly claim to have behaved with integrity in defence of the monarchy. As stated in his announcement: “I have chosen, as I always have, to prioritize my obligations to my relatives and country first.” Additionally, while he has agreed to abstain from using it, Andrew retains his ducal title, as well as the titles the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh and the prestigious Garter role as Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter. Like the HRH royal style title, they are effectively dormant. He continues to be royalty and eighth in the line of succession. In theory, he remains a potential stand-in for the monarch – and may deputize for the king if he is overseas or unwell. However the palace has made clear that, realistically, he will not be called upon to perform these duties. Nevertheless, it is significant that the prince's announcement said the decision was made “in discussion with the monarch”. It appears little doubt that, behind the scenes, the royal household pushed for the move in the hope of distancing the institution from Andrew. Why Was He Not Been Officially Stripped of All of His Titles? To forcibly remove a dukedom would require an act of parliament, and would represent such a historic move publicly before the public – it has not happened to a high-ranking royal in more than 100 years – that it could result in further reputational damage for the monarchy. Andrew is also still a prince. At his birth in 1960, he was automatically such as the son of a monarch. This could only be changed if a letters patent was enacted by the king. The whole process could end up being drawn-out, meaning the objective of swiftly resolving the matter – at least for the monarchy's interests – may not be achieved. What Does It Mean for Andrew? Embarrassment, likely above all. The announcement represents an substantial reduction of standing he has resisted for years. The prince and his former spouse, Sarah, still live in Royal Lodge, notwithstanding rumoured attempts by the king to persuade Andrew to relocate of the 30-room royal residence in Windsor Great Park. Although limited information has been shed on exactly how much money the prince has obtained due to his status, he continues to be a wealthy individual. Back in 2007, he managed to secure £15m by selling a home that had been a gift from his mother, as an instance. Why Now? The seemingly endless list of scandals related to the prince has become unacceptable for the monarch and other high-ranking family members. His association with the jailed child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is once again in the headlines following revelations Andrew had told him “we are in this together” in an email dispatched months subsequent to his assertion to have ceased contact. Additionally, there were reports about his connections with an alleged Chinese spy and, this week, extracts appeared from the posthumous memoir of Giuffre, who died by suicide in April. She claimed Andrew “believed that having sex with me was his entitlement”. Moreover, the sovereign is due to undertake a significant trip to meet Pope Leo next week, when he will become the first English monarch since Henry VIII broke from the Catholic Church in 1534 to pray publicly with the pope and leader of Catholicism. He will not have wanted that visit to be marred by further adverse coverage about his brother. What Has Been the Response? While he said Giuffre had been “justified” by the move, Giuffre’s brother Sky Roberts informed the Times that the prince's style should be revoked for “true justice” to be done. The anti-monarchist campaign group Republic has also said the action is “too little, too late”, noting: “The prince continues to be facing allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of office. He ought to be stripped of every honor and his navy rank and should face a criminal investigation. Not using archaic honors is not a penalty that fits the offences.”