The King made the decision to formally strip his brother, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, of all his titles, honours and styles after a string of scandals. The statement via Buckingham Palace came after the former Prince announced he would relinquish his titles, but this move by the monarch now effectively ends Andrew’s public life.
Although the dukedom could be abolished through an Act of Parliament, it is understood that the King did not wish to take up parliamentary time or prevent MPs from focusing on urgent national issues. He preferred to do what he could within his own royal prerogative.
It was confirmed on Friday that Andrew no longer appears on the official roll of the peerage, a key step in formally removing his titles. Dukes, including the Duke of York, are listed on the roll of the peerage maintained at the Crown Office and, as Lord Chancellor, David Lammy is responsible for maintaining it.
Mr Lammy, who is also Justice Secretary, was due to be sent royal warrants by the King to strike the Duke from the roll, as well as his Prince title and HRH style. The official process will apply to his titles of Prince, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, Baron Killyleagh and the style ‘His Royal Highness’. The honours affected are Andrew’s Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order. The dramatic decision is unprecedented in recent royal history – so who were the last royals to be stripped of their titles?
Titles Deprivation Act 1917
Legislation has been used before to strip titles, notably descendants of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert who were on the German side in the First World War. The Act meant that enemies of the UK during the war could be deprived of their British peerages and royal titles.
The Titles Deprivation Act 1917 was used two years later to strip the titles from Leopold Charles, Duke of Albany, Earl of Clarence and Baron Arklow; Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, Earl of Armagh; Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick, Prince of Great Britain and Ireland; and Henry, Viscount Taaffe of Corren and Baron of Ballymote.
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