Prince Andrew’s decision to surrender his royal titles, including Duke of York, has sparked a wave of criticism, with one veteran royal observer calling Buckingham Palace’s handling of the move a “major misstep.”
Former Sun editor and journalist David Yelland said the Palace made “the biggest PR error since Diana” by allowing Andrew to present the decision as voluntary.
“The King’s decision to allow Andrew to ‘own’ this announcement and pretend this is his choice could be the biggest PR error by the Palace since Diana. This artifice fools nobody,” Yelland wrote on X.
He warned that the optics could worsen as King Charles travels to the Vatican for a meeting with Pope Francis, noting: “The next week will be very difficult… with the King praying with the Pope… the optics could spiral.”
Prince Andrew’s statement claimed he was stepping back further from public life after “continued accusations” became a distraction.
His ex-wife Sarah Ferguson also agreed to drop her duchess title.
The move, however, has been widely viewed as forced amid growing public pressure and renewed scrutiny over Andrew’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein.