SNP calls on MPs to strip Prince Andrew of all titles

The SNP has called on the British government to officially strip Prince Andrew of all his royal titles.

The party’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, has tabled a parliamentary motion that would force ministers to withdraw his dukedom with immediate effect.

The move follows several days of revelations about the prince’s relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

It was announced on Friday that Prince Andrew was renouncing all his titles, including Duke of York and Earl of Inverness, the name by which he is traditionally known in Scotland.

He also renounced membership in the Order of the Garter, Britain’s oldest and highest order of chivalry, although Buckingham Palace remains under pressure to take tougher action against him.

In any case, the removal of his titles and distinctions was voluntary and they remain in abeyance, although not used.

It is understood that the only legal way to strip Prince Andrew’s remaining titles is through an Act of Parliament.

Flynn filed a preliminary motion, which is not binding on the government.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said Westminster parties “remain stubbornly slow” to act against the prince.

“Prince Andrew’s titles can only be removed by an Act of Parliament, so this SNP motion is a way of putting pressure on the UK Labor Government to bring forward this legislation immediately,” he said.

“The only real question is: what is the government expecting from Keir Starmer? The public knows it is the right thing to do, and more importantly, the victims at the heart of the Epstein scandal know it is the right thing to do. It must be done without any further excuses or further delays.”

The SNP lodged a similar petition in September, seeking to strip the peerage of Lord Mandelson, who was sacked as ambassador to the United States when the extent of his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein was revealed.

“I sincerely hope, for the sake of all of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, that Keir Starmer’s government will change course, support this SNP motion and introduce legislation to immediately strip Prince Andrew’s titles and Peter Mandelson’s peerage,” Flynn added.

Prince Andrew stopped using the title His Royal Highness (HRH) in 2022, as he faced civil action in the United States over sexual assault allegations brought by Virginia Giuffre.

He always denied the allegations, but settled the matter without admitting responsibility.

The latest revelations preceded the publication of Ms. Guiffre’s memoirs, released this week, six months after she committed suicide.

In the book, Ms. Giuffre says she had sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions, including once with Epstein and about eight other young women.

The British government has indicated it will not introduce legislation to strip Prince Andrew of his titles unless the king wants it.

The UK government’s education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, told the BBC’s Today programme: “We would be guided by the royal family in this matter and I imagine the royal family would want Parliament to continue to devote our time to our wider legislative agenda, but we will be guided by the monarch.

“That’s why we support the statement that’s been released and the action that’s been taken. But of course Prince Andrew holds the title of prince because he’s the son of a monarch, and that’s the situation we find ourselves in.”

On Sunday, his cabinet colleague Ed Miliband said: “I think the royal family have said they don’t want to take up parliamentary time with this; there are lots of other things that Parliament is discussing, I think it’s true that he has given up his title.”