Prince Andrew loses honorary 'freedom of York' title

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From princes and princesses to dukedoms and earldoms, there is a varied range of titles within the Royal Family. Express.co.uk takes a look at the four people who were stripped of or stopped using their royal titles in recent decades.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York

In 2021 Virginia Giuffre launched legal action in the US against Prince Andrew, alleging she was trafficked to the Duke by the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when she was 17, a minor under US law. The Duke of York vehemently denied all of the allegations.

In March 2022 the civil case drew to a close when Andrew paid an undisclosed settlement to his accuser, which was not an admission of guilt on his part.

A few weeks before the settlement payment, it was announced Andrew would return several of his royal patronages and honorary military titles to the Queen.

Prince Andrew has retained his Duke of York title from the Queen and his birthright title of Prince as the son of the monarch, but he no longer uses his HRH title publicly as he no longer completes official royal duties.

A statement from Buckingham Palace released in January 2022 read: “With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen.

“The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”

Andrew lost the following military styles: Colonel of the Grenadier Guards; Honorary air commodore of RAF Lossiemouth; Colonel-in-chief of the Royal Irish Regiment; Colonel-in-chief of the Small Arms School Corps; Commodore-in-chief of the Fleet Air Arm; Royal colonel of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland; Deputy colonel-in-chief of The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeth’s Own); Colonel-in-chief of the Yorkshire Regiment; Colonel-in-chief of the Queen’s York Rangers (1st American Regiment); Colonel-in-chief of The Royal Highland Fusiliers Of Canada; Colonel-in-chief of the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (The Duke of York’s Own); Colonel-in-chief of the Princess Louise Fusiliers (in Nova Scotia, Canada).

Diana, Princess of Wales

Lady Diana Spencer married Prince Charles in 1981, subsequently taking on the title of Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales.

But following her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996, it was announced she would lose her HRH status and would instead be styled as Diana, Princess of Wales.

Sarah, Duchess of York

Similarly, Sarah Ferguson wed Prince Andrew in 1986 and she was styled as Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York over the decade they were married.

But after their divorce, Sarah also lost her HRH style and has been known as Sarah, Duchess of York since.

The Queen issued a Letters Patent in 1996 restricting the use of HRH titles for divorced royal wives, which read: “The QUEEN has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 21st August 1996, to declare that a former wife (other than a widow until she shall remarry) of a son of a Sovereign of these Realms, of a son of a son of a Sovereign and of the eldest living son of the eldest son of The Prince of Wales shall not be entitled to hold and enjoy the style, title or attribute of Royal Highness.”

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The Duke of Windsor

The Prince of Wales before Prince Charles was Prince Edward, the son of King George V, and when his father died on January 20, 1936, he succeeded him as King Edward VIII.

Edward was titled His Majesty The King for less than a year, however, as he abdicated in favour of his younger brother Prince Albert, Duke of York, who would go on to become King George VI.

Edward’s decision to give up the throne was rooted in his love for Wallis Simpson who, as a twice-divorced woman, was not deemed an acceptable choice for the King due to societal attitudes at the time.

Edward subsequently lost his kingly titles when he abdicated, and from December 12, 1936, until he died in 1972, the former king was titled His Royal Highness The Duke of Windsor.

In a further snub, Wallis was never known as HRH and was instead styled as Her Grace The Duchess of Windsor, although it is thought she went by HRH in her own household.

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