Keir Starmer is under pressure to amend legislation to formally remove Prince Andrew’s titles.
The Prince relinquished his Duke of York title, knighthood, and role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter last Friday amid growing controversy surrounding 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, MP for York Central, suggested creating a process to allow the monarch to revoke honors, including peerages, to address situations like this. She had previously introduced a bill on this matter.
Maskell, an independent MP, emphasized the need for Parliament to take this issue seriously and provide a mechanism to rectify past wrongs and prioritize the voices of victims and survivors.
The current Titles Deprivation Act of 1917 was initially aimed at stripping titles from individuals who collaborated with the enemy during World War I.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn expressed support for stripping titles from figures like Peter Mandelson and Prince Andrew, echoing the sentiments of Virginia Giuffre’s family and the public.
Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville-Roberts advocated for holding royals accountable under the same standards as everyone else and giving Parliament the authority to remove privileges from those who abuse their positions.
When questioned, Downing Street declined to comment on passing legislation to remove Prince Andrew’s titles, deferring to the Palace’s initial decision-making and supporting the King’s judgment.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson affirmed the government’s backing of Prince Andrew’s decision to relinquish titles but clarified that his status as a prince falls outside government jurisdiction, emphasizing that matters concerning the royal family should be handled internally.
