King Charles and Buckingham Palace’s handling of Prince Andrew’s title surrender continues to draw mixed reactions from royal watchers, even after the monarchy quietly updated its official website.
The royal family’s website now lists Andrew simply as “Prince Andrew”, dropping the title “Duke of York” from the page header.
The biographical text, however, still refers to his former dukedom and other honors. a move critics call a “half-hearted attempt” to distance the disgraced royal.
The update follows Andrew’s October 17 statement announcing he would no longer use his aristocratic titles, saying that “continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.”
Some observers praised the palace for formally repositioning Andrew’s status within the monarchy, while others said allowing him to announce the decision himself and retaining references to his titles undermines the gesture.
Although Andrew has pledged not to use his titles, he still technically holds them, as only Parliament can revoke them.
Royal analysts say the move reflects King Charles’s effort to protect the monarchy’s reputation amid continued scrutiny over Andrew’s ties to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Experts have also questioned why Prince Andrew continues to have a dedicated profile on the royal family’s official website at all.
They argue that his ongoing presence there contradicts the monarchy’s attempt to fully distance itself from him.