Prince Andrew Makes Shocking Announcement That He Will Give Up Royal Titles amid Epstein Accusations

To officially strip Prince Andrew’s titles, it would require an act of parliament.
Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will no longer use her Duchess of York title. She has long gone by Sarah Ferguson professionally and will now use that name in all areas of her life, PEOPLE understands. The former couple will also continue to reside at their residence, Royal Lodge, on the Windsor Castle estate, as Andrew has a private tenancy agreement with The Crown Estate, which is unaffected by issues relating to his titles.
PEOPLE also understands that Andrew will not attend any of the royal family’s Christmas celebrations.
The former couple’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will not have their titles affected by this decision.
Prince Andrew has been styled as “His Royal Highness” since birth. Upon his marriage to Sarah Ferguson in 1986, his mother, Queen Elizabeth, gave him the titles of Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh.
The Duke of York is the traditional title for the sovereign’s second son, and the elite peerage has a rich royal history. According to British etiquette expert Debrett’s, the dukedom has been traditionally conferred upon the second son of the monarch since Edward IV in 1474. Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, was also known as the Duke of York prior to the shocking abdication of his elder brother, King Edward VIII, in 1936.
Among other honors, he is also a knight of the prestigious Order of the Garter. However, he has not publicly participated in the Garter Day ceremony, held at Windsor Castle each June, in recent years.