Royals Use Andrew’s Duke Title Again Despite Epstein Rebuke

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, has been newly described as “The Duke of York” on the Royal Family’s line of succession page, despite having been stripped of the title.

King Charles III issued letters patent to remove his brother’s royal titles, Buckingham Palace announced on October 30, while Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne.

Initially, he was listed simply as “Andrew” on the palace webpage detailing the line of succession but that now appears to have reverted back to “The Duke of York,” for reasons that are not currently clear. Newsweek approached Buckingham Palace for comment.

And this is despite a London Gazette notice confirming the removal of the titles took place officially on November 3: “The King has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 3 November 2025 to declare that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor shall no longer be entitled to hold and enjoy the style, title or attribute of ‘Royal Highness’ and the titular dignity of ‘Prince’.”

Why It Matters

Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew of sexually assaulting her in London, New York and the U.S. Virgin Islands after she was trafficked by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell when she was 17, in 2001. Andrew has always denied the allegations.

Giuffre sued Andrew in 2021 at civil court in New York and in 2022 Andrew settled for an undisclosed sum while denying liability. Giuffre died after what her family described as a suicide in April but her memoir, Nobody’s Girl, written before her death, was published in October.

What to Know

At the time of publication, Andrew is number 8 on the monarchy’s official line of succession page, listed as as The Duke of York.

Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-Monarchy campaign group Republic, told Newsweek: “It could be an error by whoever is managing the website but it is odd. You would think they would be a lot more careful about how they’re presenting this given the store they put into removing these titles. It doesn’t show they’re particularly serious about it and it is to some extent performative, to make the scandal go away.”

Andrew has been tied to Epstein for almost 15 years after being photographed walking through Central Park, in New York, with him in December 2010.

However, new pressure had been building over leaked emails sent by Andrew to Epstein around the time of Giuffre’s first interview, with The Mail on Sunday, in February 2011.

One showed Andrew respond to that 3,600 word article, detailing her sexual abuse at Epstein’s hands, with a private email to Epstein that read: “I’m just as concerned for you! Don’t worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it. Otherwise keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!”

Another, sent the day before Giuffre’s interview was published showed Andrew tell a palace press officer he had asked an on duty police protection officer to dig up dirt on Giuffre.

Epstein had been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008 and Andrew had told the BBC in 2019 he cut off all contact with Epstein during the walk through Central Park in December 2010, two months before those emails were sent. Publication of Nobody’s Girl also added to the pressure.

Andrew initially voluntarily gave up use of his royal titles without being stripped of them in a move Buckingham Palace allowed him to announce himself, via a statement that said he was putting his duty to his family first, in order to avoid being a distraction.

The October 17 statement, issued by the palace press office, read: “In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”

However, that appeared only to fan the flames of the backlash against the Monarchy, requiring tougher action from King Charles who released his own statement announcing Andrew was being stripped of his titles and forced to move out of his Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge, on October 30.

“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” the palace statement read. “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”

It was after that statement that the royal family’s website was updated to describe the former prince simply as “Andrew.” However, it now seems to have reverted, whether deliberately or by accident, to “The Duke of York.”

The risk for the palace is that the British public may be left thinking, whether rightly or wrongly, that the move to strip Andrew’s titles was an elaborate performance but ultimately hollow.

If so, that would put them back to where they were after Andrew voluntarily gave up use of his titles but not the titles themselves back in October.

What People Are Saying

Peter Hunt, a former BBC royal correspondent, posted a screengrab showing the Duke of York listed in the line of succession on X and wrote: “You really could not make it up.”

What Happens Next

The palace will now either have to change the website back to what it was before or run the risk the decisive action taken by King Charles to strip Andrew’s titles is undermined by its own website.

Do you have a question about King Charles and Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We’d love to hear from you.