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British Parliament considers stripping Prince Andrew of his title

SNP motion to strip the Duke of York of his title following Virginia Giuffre’s revelations

A motion has been tabled in the British Parliament to strip Prince Andrew of his title of Duke of York. The initiative comes after renewed pressure following the publication of Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous autobiography, in which she accused the prince of having sex with her on three occasions when she was a minor, as part of the scandal involving financier Jeffrey Epstein.

As reported by The Guardian, any formal revocation of royal titles would require an act of Parliament, which the British government does not intend to promote without an official request from Buckingham Palace.

SNP challenges Westminster: “It’s time to act”

The Scottish National Party (SNP) has tabled an early motion to formally revoke Prince Andrew’s title, which he himself has said he no longer wishes to use. ‘If the parties in Westminster remain stubbornly slow to act, the SNP will do everything in its power to force them to do so,’ said party leader Stephen Flynn.

As royal titles can only be revoked by an act of Parliament, the SNP’s motion serves to put pressure on Keir Starmer’s government. ‘The public knows it is the right thing to do, and the victims at the centre of the Epstein scandal know it is the right thing to do. It must be done without further excuses and further delays,’ Flynn added.

Controversy also surrounds Windsor’s Royal Lodge

Meanwhile, the British government is facing new pressure over Prince Andrew’s 30-room residence, the Royal Lodge in Windsor. According to The Times, the prince has not paid rent since 2003: under the contract, he was required to pay “a pinch of pepper (if requested)” as symbolic rent in exchange for £7.5 million worth of renovation work.

If he gave up the lease, the Royal Family would have to pay him back around £558,000. Business Minister Peter Kyle described the matter as “an internal palace affair”, suggesting that the decision on the prince’s future at the Royal Lodge would be up to the monarchy.

Giuffre’s ghostwriter: ‘Virginia would have considered the revocation a victory’

Virginia Giuffre’s ghostwriter, Amy Wallace, told the BBC that her client “would have considered it a victory” if Andrew had lost his titles, “a symbolic gesture” in line with her desire for justice. “Virginia wanted all the men she had been victimised by to be held accountable for their actions,” Wallace added during the Newsnight programme.

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