On October 19, 2025, the royal family found itself once again thrust into the spotlight as a York politician issued a crucial demand to Buckingham Palace: reallocate Prince Andrew’s royal title. This move, coming after a series of mounting scandals and relentless public scrutiny, marks another chapter in the ongoing saga surrounding the Duke of York—a story that shows no sign of quieting down.
Despite stepping back from most of his official roles and relinquishing several of his titles, Prince Andrew remains, by birthright, a prince. As the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, that particular honorific cannot be stripped away by palace decree alone. According to the BBC, “Despite giving up his titles, Andrew will remain a prince as he is the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II.” This legal and familial tie continues to complicate efforts to distance the monarchy from his controversies.
The latest demand from York’s local leadership is just one facet of the royal family’s ongoing struggle to contain the fallout from Prince Andrew’s involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. As reported by The Sun, Andrew was forced to surrender his role as a member of the Order of the Garter and his Duke of York title. This was no small gesture; these are among the most prestigious honors within the British aristocracy, and their removal signaled a significant attempt by the Palace to draw a line under the matter.
Yet, according to royal expert Phil Dampier, these measures may not be enough. Dampier, speaking to The Sun, warned, “If he is forced into a corner and completely put into exile, who’s to say that he or his ex-wife won’t write another book… or start hitting back?” The threat of further embarrassment looms large—after all, Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, have been the source of several public headaches for the royal family in the past.
“If enough pressure was put on him, he could voluntarily stop calling himself a prince too,” Dampier continued. “He can’t have that taken away from him – that would be a last resort. But the trouble is just when you think it can’t get any worse for Andrew, it does. So the options to ‘punish’ him are running out.”
The expert outlined the remaining tools at the Palace’s disposal: “They can try and force him out of Royal Lodge, but they’ve already tried that before. He’s a Counsellor of State, they could have that taken away… he could be taken out of the line of succession or they could take away his princehood. But that would be virtually impossible without him voluntarily doing it.”
This sense of dwindling options is fueling anxiety behind palace walls. The royal family’s preferred approach—removing Andrew and Ferguson from the public eye and distancing them from official duties—relies on their cooperation. However, Dampier cautioned that a strategy which backs Andrew into a corner could prompt retaliation, potentially in the form of public revelations or tell-all memoirs.
Adding to the royal family’s woes, a new investigation has been launched by the Metropolitan Police. According to The Sun, the Met is probing claims that Prince Andrew attempted to recruit police officers to dig up damaging information on his sex-abuse accuser, Virginia Giuffre. The allegations include that Andrew had obtained Giuffre’s social security number and passed it along to an officer—a move that could verge on criminality if proven true. “The fact police are looking into it must mean there is some sort of basis for some sort of wrongdoing somewhere along the line. Otherwise they wouldn’t be looking at it,” Dampier remarked.
The potential for further scandal is not lost on the Palace. Dampier speculated that the recent steps taken to strip Andrew of his titles were likely in anticipation of even more damaging revelations. “I think the palace will feel the steps they’ve taken in the last few days and his decision to not use his titles… they were probably anticipating things were going to get worse. Whether it proves to be enough or not, I don’t think anyone can tell at the minute. We just don’t know what is going to come out next.”
Royal observers have also noted the role of Prince William, the Prince of Wales and heir apparent, in these decisions. According to Dampier, “William will be quite ruthless. There have been stories this morning suggesting Andrew won’t be invited to his coronation. If that turns out to be true, then obviously William would very much be flexing his muscles as King and laying down an immediate indication that he’s not to be challenged.”
This is a marked contrast to King Charles III’s approach. Charles, as Dampier observed, “is obviously trying to draw a line under this before William becomes King while being as fair to Andrew as he can… because at the end of the day, it is his brother.” The difference in temperament between father and son is shaping the Palace’s response, with William’s reputation for modernizing the monarchy and taking a firmer hand in internal affairs coming to the fore.
Despite his missteps, Prince Andrew has not gone public with criticisms of the monarchy or his family—a point that distinguishes him from his nephew, Prince Harry. “What Andrew hasn’t done – unlike Harry – is to go public with criticism of the monarchy, The King or the royals. At least he has been loyal… despite being completely careless and stupid,” Dampier noted. This loyalty, however, may not be enough to shield him from further consequences.
As the royal family weighs its next moves, the question remains: what more can be done to safeguard the monarchy’s reputation while managing the risks Andrew poses? The options are narrowing, and the stakes are only getting higher. The prospect of Andrew voluntarily relinquishing his title as prince seems remote, as does the idea of him retreating quietly into private life abroad. Dampier suggested, “If he wanted to call himself Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and go and live in Switzerland… that might be the best thing for all concerned. But I don’t think that is likely to happen anytime soon.”
For now, it appears the royal family will continue to distance themselves from Andrew as best they can, hoping he will accept the punishments meted out without further resistance. Yet, with police investigations ongoing and public scrutiny as intense as ever, the risk of new revelations or retaliation remains. Just when it seems the crisis might be contained, another twist emerges—leaving the monarchy bracing for whatever comes next.
In the end, the royal family’s efforts to manage the fallout from Prince Andrew’s actions reflect the broader challenges facing modern monarchies everywhere: balancing tradition and accountability, loyalty and transparency, all under the relentless gaze of the public eye.
