Prince Andrew has announced that he will give up his title as the Duke of York, one of the most prestigious titles in the British monarchy, marking a major step back from royal life.
The move comes amid renewed scrutiny of his ties to convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and resurfacing allegations that continue to tarnish the monarchy.
In his statement, Andrew said that “continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family,” and that with the king’s agreement, he would step further back.
But despite relinquishing those royal titles, the question many are now asking is: Does that mean he is no longer a prince? And who, if anyone, could become the next Duke of York?
Here’s a look at all the answers
But first, who is Prince Andrew?
Prince Andrew, 65, is the third child of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and currently stands eighth in line to the British throne.
He is the younger brother of King Charles III and Princess Anne, the Princess Royal.
Andrew was married to Sarah Ferguson, who became the Duchess of York upon their marriage but lost the title when the couple divorced. Together, they have two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Before his royal controversies, Andrew had a 22-year career in the Royal Navy. He served as a helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands War, flying missions aboard HMS Invincible after Argentinian forces invaded the British territory in the South Atlantic.
He retired from active service in 2001 with the rank of Commander, later receiving honorary promotions to Rear Admiral in 2010 and Vice Admiral in 2015.
Outside of his naval service, Andrew took on a diplomatic role when the UK government appointed him as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, promoting British business interests overseas and representing the country at major trade events.
Between 2011 and 2019, he was an active working royal, attending engagements on behalf of the Crown, until serious allegations tied to his association with Jeffrey Epstein forced him to withdraw from public life.
What are the allegations against him?
Prince Andrew became embroiled in controversy after being accused of sexual abuse in a civil case filed in the United States.
According to court documents, Virginia Giuffre claimed she was a victim of sex trafficking and abuse by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein from the age of 16. She alleged that part of that abuse involved Epstein “lending her out” to powerful men, including the Prince.
Giuffre said that Prince Andrew had sexually assaulted her on three occasions when she was under 18. In her posthumous memoir Nobody’s Girl, she wrote that the prince was “entitled” and “believed having sex with me was his birthright.”
Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all allegations over the years and even insisted that he had “no recollection of ever meeting this lady". Although a picture of them standing close to one another surfaced in public in 2011.
On February 15 2022, court filings revealed that Andrew and Giuffre had reached an out-of-court settlement, reportedly worth around £12 million.
While the settlement included no admission of guilt, it did confirm that the prince would pay an undisclosed sum to Giuffre, effectively ending the lawsuit, but not the scrutiny that continues to follow him.
Which royal titles did he give up?
In a statement issued by Buckingham Palace on Friday evening, Prince Andrew confirmed he would “no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.”
This means he has relinquished all his official titles and honours, including his wedding day titles — The Duke of York, the Earl of Inverness, and Baron Killyleagh — as well as his Knighthood as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) and his Royal Knight Companion role in the Order of the Garter.
He will also stop using the initials “KG” after his name and will no longer identify himself as the Duke of York in any public or private capacity.
Stepping away from the Order of the Garter also prevents him from attending the annual Garter Day service at Windsor Castle. Although previously barred from the public procession, Andrew had continued attending privately — a privilege now withdrawn.
It has also been confirmed that he will not join the royal family for Christmas at Sandringham, effectively marking his complete exclusion from royal life.
Andrew had already stepped down from public duties in 2019 following the backlash from his BBC interview, and later stopped using the style “His Royal Highness” (HRH).
In 2022, the late Queen Elizabeth II formally stripped her son of his military affiliations and royal patronages.
He also lost a series of UK military titles, including colonel of the Grenadier Guards, honorary air commodore of RAF Lossiemouth and colonel-in-chief of the Royal Irish Regiment.
Is he still a prince?
Yes — Prince Andrew continues to hold the title of prince.
He automatically received the title at birth as the son of Queen Elizabeth II, and it can only be revoked if the reigning monarch issues a Letters Patent. So far, King Charles III has not taken such a step.
His daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, remain unaffected. Both retain their royal titles, with Andrew and the King reportedly wanting to ensure their status stays protected.
Who will be the next Duke of York?
Traditionally, the Duke of York title is reserved for the second son of the monarch.
The late Queen Elizabeth II granted the title to Andrew on the morning of his wedding, a title that once belonged to her father, King George VI, before he became monarch, as per the BBC.
Now that Andrew has given up the title, Prince Harry would be next in line to inherit it. However, since he and Meghan Markle stepped back from royal duties in 2020, it’s unlikely he will receive it.
As per Parade, the next possible heir could be Prince Louis, the seven-year-old son of Prince William. But royal insiders suggest that the King may wait until Louis is older before deciding whether to bestow the title upon him — if at all.
With input from agencies