Prince Andrew relinquished his royal titles and honours. He made the decision after direct consultation with his brother, King Charles III, and Buckingham Palace announced the news on Friday. Well, it sounds like he finally fell on his sword. Read on for more details.
Beatrice & Eugenie
The Duke dropped the use of his Duke of York title. Furthermore, he probably surrendered his memberships in the Order of the Garter. Plus, his GCVO knighthood. However, he retains his princely title by birthright. Not that he expressed much sorrow, claiming the scandals were a distraction for the monarchy.
Additionally, his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, dropped her Duchess of York title. Nevertheless, for now, it looks like their daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, remain unaffected by this change.
Then again, it is also not known how useful they could be to the monarchy, as every time someone sees them, they will remind folks about their nefarious parents.
Too Many Scandals
The move follows intense scrutiny of his association with Jeffrey Epstein. Notably, the timing also comes ahead of the anticipated book from his accuser, the late Virginia Giuffre. The scandal persisted for years, and notably includes his widely criticized 2019 BBC interview.
Subsequently, he settled a civil case with Giuffre in 2022. In the meantime, he continually denied any wrongdoing. Still, Giuffre’s family seemed relieved that he finally did the right thing, which King Charles and Prince William both supported.
Analysis By Jennie Bond
Jennie Bond, a former Royal Correspondent, analyzed the news for Sky News. On behalf of the people of the UK, she seemed very relieved that the situation finally reached a conclusion. “I think it’s a great relief that this has finally happened,” Bond said. After all, she explained, the circumstances had become completely unmanageable.
Certainly, the constant media coverage kept Prince Andrew and “Fergie” in the spotlight. Interestingly, Andrew admitted it wasn’t his sole decision to step back.
Falling On His Sword
“I’m struck by the use of the pronoun ‘we’,” she said, quoting the statement. The text read, “the King, my immediate family and wider family. We have concluded.” Obviously, she saw that as collective pressure. So, in her view, it forced Andrew “to do, if you like, the decent thing and fall on his sword.”
Additionally, Bond opined that “…if he hadn’t fallen on his sword, he would have been pushed very firmly onto it.” Behind the scenes in the palace, she believed that there “must have been some very pointed words.”
Of course, she talked about how King Charles and Prince William probably had no choice but to apply a lot of pressure. So, if their goal was to get Andrew to act appropriately, it seemed to have worked.
Giving Up Titles But Also Not?
Interestingly, the royal correspondent noted that Andrew didn’t ditch the titles altogether. In fact, as she pointed out, “He’s not actually giving it up; he’s not going to use his title,” conferred by his mother Queen Elizabeth back in 1986.
As for the rest of them, Bond could only assume that he plans to also stop using his other lesser titles. If that’s the case, Bond felt that folks within the monarchy and the general public might view it as a victory. After all, she noted, “I think it is what we, the public, really wanted to see happen.”
Not The First Time He Stepped Back
Bond reminded royal family viewers that Prince Andrew did take a step away about five years ago when he pretty much disappeared from public life. That’s why folks were surprised to see him at an Easter outing. However, she reminded viewers that it “wasn’t his decision” and came from a reluctant Queen Elizabeth after a disastrous News Night appearance.
Going forward, it seems there simply isn’t any public future for Andrew or Sarah Ferguson. “He’ll have no role in public life,” she said. However, she can’t say whether as a private person he might appear in public.
Probably, he can’t be locked up behind doors for the rest of his life. Mind you, for now he might prefer that, given the recent arrival of photos of him allegedly connecting with a potential spy scandal. “I think has been the last straw,” Bond opined.
Sarah’s Part In The Scandals
Sarah Ferguson wasn’t forgotten, and stories about her circulated for decades. Remember the toe-sucking pics? Of course, so did stories about Prince Andrew, AKA “Randy Andy.” But, the Epstein affair seemed to escalate everything around 2001.
Bond described the constant flow of allegations as a “drip, drip, drip of scandal.” So, revelations about his continued contact with Epstein were particularly damaging.
Then, the news arrived that Sarah Ferguson also misled the public, and compounded the problem. Bond delivered a damning assessment:
You cannot have two members of the royal family in any kind of public arena who are mendacious.
Reactions To The Report
In the comments section of the YouTube video, one viewer opined, “Get rid of noble titles. Then let all the criminals fend for themselves instead of legalizing their criminality.”
Here are a few more reactions taken from the discussion area:
- Virginia Guiffre haunts this man from her grave.
- Andrew needs to renounce his titles not just say he will no longer use them. That’s the only way those titles can revert back to the monarch. Otherwise an act of parliament is required to make it official.
- Parliament needs to remove all of his titles and privileges. Every single one.
What are your thoughts? Sound off in the comments below, and remember to come back here often for all your Royal Family news and updates.