<\/p>\n
The Duke of York title has been so tarnished by Prince Andrew\u2019s ongoing scandals<\/a> that it is unlikely Prince Louis will ever inherit it.<\/p>\n The claim was made by multiple experts who spoke to Fox News Digital about how Prince William, heir to the throne, may break with tradition once he becomes king. Experts also believe that the title will remain dormant until Andrew\u2019s death.<\/p>\n \u201cThe terribly tarnished title of Duke of York will not be offered to Prince Louis or, for that matter, any other royal, probably in our lifetimes, nor in the foreseeable future,\u201d British royals expert Hilary Fordwich<\/a> claimed to Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n PRINCE ANDREW\u2019S RUDENESS TO KATE MIDDLETON CAUSED ONGOING FEUD WITH PRINCE WILLIAM: BOOK<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt will most likely be put in abeyance to die with Prince Andrew,\u201d she said. \u201cTradition should be abandoned to restore public trust and to demonstrate moral clarity.\u201d<\/p>\n The dukedom of York is traditionally bestowed on the monarch\u2019s second son, a custom that began with King Edward IV in 1474, British etiquette authority Debrett\u2019s<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s father<\/a>, King George VI, was the Duke of York before his elder brother, King Edward VIII, abdicated the throne in 1936. The title was granted to Andrew, 65, the late queen\u2019s reportedly favorite son, by the monarch on his wedding day to Sarah Ferguson in 1986.<\/p>\n Royal experts told Fox News Digital that titles are traditionally conferred after a royal reaches adulthood or marries as a gift.<\/p>\n Since Louis, 7, is William\u2019s second son, it was widely believed that he would become the Duke of York once William ascended the throne. However, William, 43, could choose to bestow a different title upon his son.<\/p>\n \u201cThe break with centuries-old tradition is a result of the severity of Andrew\u2019s scandal,\u201d said Fordwich. \u201cWilliam won\u2019t wish his son to be tarnished by any memories of his disgraced great-uncle. He was behind his uncle\u2019s title being rescinded permanently, advocating strongly for this despicable scandal to be met with decisive disciplinary action.\u201d<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n On Oct. 17, Andrew announced he was relinquishing his Duke of York title and other honors after renewed scrutiny over his friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein<\/a>. In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, King Charles III\u2019s younger brother said, \u201cThe continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWith His Majesty\u2019s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.\u201d<\/p>\n Andrew stepped down from public life in 2019 over his association with Epstein, despite his denials of wrongdoing. His latest announcement came days after the posthumous memoir by Virginia Roberts Giuffre<\/a> was published on Oct. 21. The 41-year-old, who died in April, alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and had sex with Andrew when she was 17.<\/p>\n In 2021, Giuffre sued Andrew, who denied her claims and said he didn\u2019t recall meeting her. The case was settled in 2022 for an undisclosed sum. According to court documents, the prince acknowledged that Giuffre was \u201can established victim of abuse.\u201d<\/p>\n Officially stripping Andrew of his title would require an Act of Parliament. Since that hasn\u2019t occurred, the title will revert to the Crown upon Andrew\u2019s death and could then be reassigned to another royal.<\/p>\n LIKE WHAT YOU\u2019RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe York brand has become toxic,\u201d royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. \u201cIt is most unlikely that it will be used by the royal family in the near future. Sarah Ferguson was the Duchess of York and has proven to be a shocker, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMore, much more, is yet to come,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n The dukedom of York also carries a dark history, prompting speculation that the title itself may be unlucky, Vanity Fair<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n The first Duke of York, Edmund of Langley, who was elevated to the role in 1385, committed \u201cone of England\u2019s greatest acts of betrayal\u201d when he switched allegiances, the outlet reported. That event was later dramatized by Shakespeare in \u201cRichard II.\u201d<\/p>\n WATCH: PRINCE ANDREW WAS \u2018CRUEL TO STAFF,\u2019 \u2018TOOK ADVANTAGE\u2019 OF HIS POSITION, ROYAL AUTHOR CLAIMS<\/strong><\/p>\n The second Duke of York, Edmund\u2019s son Edward, met a grisly end at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. The third Duke of York, Edward\u2019s nephew, Richard, was killed in 1460 at the Battle of Wakefield. According to the outlet, his enemies displayed his severed head on a pike with a paper crown. The lives of other Dukes of York have raised eyebrows over the years.<\/p>\n But Fitzwilliams doesn\u2019t believe the title is cursed.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the public mind, the title Duke of York has been identified with Queen Elizabeth\u2019s father,\u201d he explained. \u201cHe had a shy stammer that was immortalized by Colin Firth in the film \u2018The King\u2019s Speech.\u2019\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that William and his wife, Kate Middleton<\/a>, aren\u2019t focused on bestowing titles on their children.<\/p>\n \u201cWilliam and Kate want their children to have as normal a life as possible,\u201d said Turner. \u201cThey\u2019re trying to create equality among their children, instead of them becoming spares to their eldest son, Prince George. They have prominent responsibilities, but they are also allowed to have normal family time.\u201d<\/p>\n British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that she doesn\u2019t believe the Prince and Princess of Wales, who have prioritized family life, would consider giving the Duke of York title to Louis.<\/p>\n \u201cWith Prince Andrew formally surrendering the Duke of York title, it could be revived for Prince Louis when Prince William becomes king,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n