The Duke of York — Prince Andrew — was recently stripped of his royal title and appears to now have been removed from the peerage roll. This decision represents a new precedent in royal titles. In order to step into his own parliamentary shoes, King Charles III decided against introducing parliamentary legislation to abolish the dukedom. Rather, he promoted this transition by making extensive use of royal warrants. The move underscores the ongoing consequences of Prince Andrew’s controversial public life and the royal family’s efforts to distance themselves from past scandals.
The Titles Deprivation Act of 1917 is a historical precedent for just such an action. This legislation originally dates back to World War I. It was intended to remove titles from people who were thought to be enemies of the United Kingdom. This Act affected some famous people. Among those opposed to the bill were Leopold, Charles, Duke of Albany; Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland; and Henry, Viscount Taaffe. In recent debates over Prince Andrew’s continued presence in the Royal Family, the Act has been referred to often.
In his new role as Lord Chancellor, David Lammy has assumed the responsibility for keeping the roll of the peerage. Her new King Charles has responded to this with a direct order to Mr. Lammy. He is to be granted royal warrants that formally relieve Prince Andrew from the roll of peers. This extends beyond the loss of his duke title, to the removal of his style of “His Royal Highness.”
King Charles does not want to see any more parliamentary time wasted on this issue. In this manner, Members of Parliament will be better able to devote themselves to urgent national issues. Rather than going through a full Act of Parliament to go ahead and abolish the dukedom the King took a much more straightforward route. With the power afforded him by issuing royal warrants, he has made the whole process of transitioning and resolving Prince Andrew’s titles a smoother, contained affair.
On Friday, Government ministers confirmed that Prince Andrew has been stripped of his name from the official roll of the peerage. This affirmation is a huge shift in his fortunes. This transition away from these three titles is a big step in correcting his related titles as well. More than that, it demonstrates the ways in which the monarchy is changing to embrace contemporary expectations and sensitivities.
Historically, legislation has been used to strip titles in extreme cases involving individuals on the side of enemy combatants in times of war. The royal family does not have a great history of being caught in such positions. This was especially true with the descendants of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who took Imperial Germany’s side in World War I. The political climate, especially for Prince Andrew, is similar today, as it was before. It’s a testament to how the monarchy is still adapting to the mood of the nation.
