Keir Starmer is under pressure to amend legislation in order to officially remove Prince Andrew’s titles.
The Prince voluntarily relinquished his Duke of York title, knighthood, and position as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter last Friday amidst escalating concerns over his connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
Despite consistently denying any misconduct, Prince Andrew still holds his dukedom, which can only be revoked through an act of Parliament.
Rachael Maskell, the Member of Parliament for York Central, proposed establishing a mechanism for the monarch to revoke honors, including peerages, to address such situations. She had previously introduced a private members bill on this matter.
Maskell, an independent MP, emphasized the importance of Parliament taking swift action to address past wrongs and ensure the voices of victims and survivors are heard and acted upon.
The current law, the Titles Deprivation Act of 1917, was originally intended to strip peerages and royal titles from individuals who collaborated with the enemy during World War I.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn expressed support for stripping titles from individuals like Peter Mandelson and Prince Andrew, citing the public’s and victims’ outrage over their actions.
Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville-Roberts echoed the sentiment, advocating for holding royals accountable under the same laws as everyone else and emphasizing Parliament’s role in removing privileges from those who abuse their positions.
Downing Street refrained from commenting on whether Parliament should pass legislation to strip Prince Andrew of his titles, deferring to the Palace’s decision-making. The Prime Minister’s spokesperson expressed solidarity with the victims of Jeffrey Epstein.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson affirmed support for Prince Andrew’s decision to relinquish his titles, noting that the matter of removing his prince title falls under the royal family’s jurisdiction and not the government’s.
Phillipson added that the government would follow the royal family’s guidance on the issue and acknowledged that Prince Andrew retains his prince title due to his lineage.