MP calls for law to take away titles of Prince Andrew

Several politicians have spoken publicly about Prince Andrew losing his titles for good.

The prince announced he would give up his royal titles and honours in a surprise statement on October 17. It means he will no longer be known as the Duke of York, the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh. However, the titles still belong to him and will only become extinct when he dies as he has no male heir.

The titles cannot be removed without an Act of Parliament – as is the same for all dukedoms and other titles given to anyone, whether they be royal or not.

Now, several politicians have called for parliament to look at a quick way to remove the titles for good in the lifetime of Prince Andrew.

It follows further revelations about his relationship with convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein. Recently, correspondence has come to light in which Andrew told the financier, who died in 2019, that they were ”in this together” after a photo was published showing the prince with his arm around Virginia Giuffre.

Andrew had previously told the BBC that he had ceased contact with Epstein by that point.

A posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide earlier this year, is also about to be published. In it, she talks about being forced to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17. The prince has always denied the allegations.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, SNP Leader in Westminster, Stephen Flynn, said ‘‘I won’t sit silent – if an act of Parliament is required to strip the likes of Peter Mandelson and Prince Andrew of their titles, then there can be no justification from this Labour Government as to why that is not immediately happening.”

Peter Mandelson is a life peer. He lost his role as UK ambassador in Washington last month after revelations about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Meanwhile, one of the MPs for the city of York also wants a law to remove Andrew’s title. Rachel Maskell, who sits for York Central but who lost the Labour whip following her election, told the iPaper that she was considering bringing a new Removal of Titles Bill before Parliament. She said that it would mean ”justice could be served’‘ and added ”it seems clear that this would be welcomed by the Palace.”

Andrew Lownie, who recently wrote a book about Andrew called Entitled by Andrew Lownie – HarperCollins Publishers UK, told the Telegraph that there might be a simple parliamentary mechanism by which the prince could permanently renounce his dukedom.

He said he believed a minor adjustment to the Peerage Act 1963 could allow anyone to renounce their title easily.

Andrew Lownie told the Telegraph that ”the act allows a peer to disclaim their peerage within 12 months of succeeding to it. An amendment would simply give the first holder of a hereditary peerage…to do the same within x days of the commencement of the Act.”

Such an amendment, if possible, would put further pressure on Prince Andrew to permanently give up the titles which he was given in 1986 when he got married.

After he announced he was relinquishing his titles, his former wife did the same. Fergie had been known as Sarah, Duchess of York snice their divorce but will now revert to her maiden name of Sarah Ferguson.

The titles of their two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, are unaffected. Andrew retains his position in the line of succession – he is currently eighth.

He remains a prince through Letters Patent issued in 1917 by King George V which stipulate that the children of a Monarch are entitled to be HRH and prince or princess. That also extends to the grandchildren of a Monarch in the male line – that is the children of any sons of a Monarch.