Gransnet forums

Chat

Goodbye Duke & Duchess of York.

(447 Posts)
ferry23 Fri 17-Oct-25 19:13:44

Following the accusations earlier this week, Prince Andrew has relinquished his title Duke of York. Same for his ex-wife.

He will still keep his title of Prince Andrew.

But I guess that's the end of the titled road for Fergie.

Happygirl79 Sat 18-Oct-25 13:54:35

Andrew is in my opinion a stupid, greedy and entitled man.
I don't think for one minute that it's been a voluntary step back.

I believe that Charles will have settled a sizeable sum on him as an incentive to do so to 'save' the monarchy.

Witzend Sat 18-Oct-25 13:38:22

Got to love tabloid headlines - earlier today I saw on the front page of the Daily Star,
BANNED OLD DUKE OF YORK
😂😂

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Sat 18-Oct-25 12:45:52

merlotgran

No wonder William and Catherine want to raise their children away from courtiers and flunkeys and all that impresses upon youngsters that they are entitled.
Hopefully Andrew will be the last of that self important clan.

Good point merlotgran.

Casdon Sat 18-Oct-25 12:44:26

Whatever they are like, I still think Beatrice and Eugenie deserve compassion in this situation, I would certainly feel that towards any child whose parent is accused of having sex with underage girls, particularly so publicly. They will carry that.

Jane43 Sat 18-Oct-25 12:43:47

Smileless2012

SF I think would only have lost her title if either of them had re married LovesBach.

Even if Andrew had remarried she would have retained her title, she would have become Duchess Of York and his new wife would have been The Duchess Of York. Only if she had remarried would she have lost the title.

Jane43 Sat 18-Oct-25 12:40:15

Anniebach

It was the press which started “her favourite child”, yet Edward who waited for the title Duke of Edinburgh seemed very close to his. Parents . It all started with Lord Porchester

The press did the same with the late Queen’s ‘favourite grandchild’ which tended to be Prince Harry or Peter Phillips depending on which article you read.

Anniebach Sat 18-Oct-25 12:30:05

Quote Mamie Sat 18-Oct-25 11:42:38
NotSpaghetti
Both the daughters are involved in charity work.
I'm not rooting for them particularly but do think we should be fair to them as they are living their own "ordinary privileged" lives.

They aren't doing anything particularly horrible as far as i can see - and are really nothing to do with the mess of Andrew's making.
I think the way people view them will depend on whether they have read "Entitled" or not.

Yes, I read it and yes I have doubts about them

Calendargirl Sat 18-Oct-25 12:23:04

why was she still using the title of Duchess of York when divorced many years ago?

When she and Diana divorced, both had the HRH removed, but were to be known respectively as Diana, Princess of Wales, and Sarah, Duchess of York.

If they had remarried, they would have lost those titles.

Incidentally, Diana was never ‘Princess Diana’, but that is how she is often mistakenly referred as.

Mamie Sat 18-Oct-25 11:42:38

NotSpaghetti

Both the daughters are involved in charity work.
I'm not rooting for them particularly but do think we should be fair to them as they are living their own "ordinary privileged" lives.

They aren't doing anything particularly horrible as far as i can see - and are really nothing to do with the mess of Andrew's making.

I think the way people view them will depend on whether they have read "Entitled" or not.

Anniebach Sat 18-Oct-25 11:15:37

When was the last time a member of the royal family sued over. books written about them ?

The late Queen and Lord Porchester, Charles and Camilla ?

Smileless2012 Sat 18-Oct-25 11:13:12

That's true Iam but how many never get convicted because the accuser accepts a pay off?

Iam64 Sat 18-Oct-25 11:08:46

William and Kate are popular with the young people I know. I agree with others who see them living a less ostentatious life, more like the other European royals.

To those who remind us Andrew was never convicted, please never forget how few sex offenders ever get to Court. Also he, his mother, paid millions to Virginia G. I can’t accept they did that simply because of the Jubilee

NotSpaghetti Sat 18-Oct-25 10:57:57

Both the daughters are involved in charity work.
I'm not rooting for them particularly but do think we should be fair to them as they are living their own "ordinary privileged" lives.

They aren't doing anything particularly horrible as far as i can see - and are really nothing to do with the mess of Andrew's making.

TerriBull Sat 18-Oct-25 10:57:53

Calendargirl

I don’t think the Royals will peter out, but as time goes by, and when William ascends the throne, they will live a much more normal lifestyle, (although a very wealthy, privileged one).

More like the European royals.

I agree with this, I think William and Catherine appear to be wise enough to know how they need to resonate with the public and to make sure their children never develop that over inflated sense of entitlement that Andrew has been allowed to have. Keeping the active royals slimmed down, to the absolute nucleus of the family who are prepared to have a meaningful input such as that of Princess Ann has had over the years. It's essential to get rid of the deadwood for their survival, such as the characteristics exemplified by Andrew and Fergie who are not only no use but positively counter productive in so many ways, him mired in sleaze and arrogance, her with profligacy,and certainly at odds with what I imagine William and Catherine would want to go forward with, spearheading causes that matter, such as King Charles has done with the Princes Trust. Whilst I didn't grow up an ardent royalist, a slimmed down purposeful monarchy is preferable imo to some other sort of "created" dynasty that will be riddled with out of touch nepotism which we all pretty much see and hate in so many of our politicians now, so in that, I think a monarchy who know their place are preferable.

Smileless2012 Sat 18-Oct-25 10:50:23

SF I think would only have lost her title if either of them had re married LovesBach.

merlotgran Sat 18-Oct-25 10:32:39

No wonder William and Catherine want to raise their children away from courtiers and flunkeys and all that impresses upon youngsters that they are entitled.
Hopefully Andrew will be the last of that self important clan.

LovesBach Sat 18-Oct-25 10:19:34

Summerlove

My understanding was that as of tonight he was keeping the titles just not using them publicly? Though the headlines certainly say the opposite.

*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.*

It seems it would take an act of parliament to remove titles - and what would be the point? This would be only an exercise in paperwork. PA has publicly stated he will no longer use the honours. His restricted life and the publicity surrounding him must be a daily reminder for such a seemingly arrogant and vain man. Sarah Ferguson (as she is now to be known) is also in the public eye again for all the wrong reasons; why was she still using the title of Duchess of York when divorced many years ago?

Aveline Sat 18-Oct-25 10:09:11

William and Catherine are very popular with the younger members of my family. I think they are really good role models. I'm sure they'll have a much more modern and slimmed down monarchy.
No point in slagging people off for being born into a more prosperous world than others. Not their fault any more than the fault of those born into poverty.

LucyAnna5 Sat 18-Oct-25 10:03:53

Followed your link, Casdon - the housework was abandoned as I went down a rabbit hole of interesting articles about all sorts of things! Thank you.

Calendargirl Sat 18-Oct-25 09:57:02

And Catherine’s middle class ‘Middleton’ background will contribute to the change.

Calendargirl Sat 18-Oct-25 09:56:10

I don’t think the Royals will peter out, but as time goes by, and when William ascends the throne, they will live a much more normal lifestyle, (although a very wealthy, privileged one).

More like the European royals.

Casdon Sat 18-Oct-25 09:38:05

Chocolatelovinggran

Interesting thought Casdon. Do you think that our children and grandchildren will grow more interested in royalty as they grow older? I suspect that my children, age between thirty and late forties, will not, as they have shown no enthusiasm as yet.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to declare that I am a lifelong Republican.

Yes, I do think that’s the case Chocolatelovinggran, it runs along with people becoming more conservative as they age. I remember reading an article about that years ago, which I’ve revisited a number of times. Here it is.
theconversation.com/hard-evidence-do-we-become-more-conservative-with-age-47910

merlotgran Sat 18-Oct-25 09:19:48

I named him after the new baby prince: Andrew Albert, Maigret, Christian, Panda. (Maigret as I thought that was the last word in sophistication at the time

My first laugh of the day 😂 Thank you, Aveline

Chocolatelovinggran Sat 18-Oct-25 09:14:46

Interesting thought Casdon. Do you think that our children and grandchildren will grow more interested in royalty as they grow older? I suspect that my children, age between thirty and late forties, will not, as they have shown no enthusiasm as yet.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to declare that I am a lifelong Republican.

eddiecat78 Sat 18-Oct-25 09:12:52

Looking back, hasn't there always been a member of the royal family who behaved badly? Princess Margaret wasn't a paragon of virtue, Edward 8th was a Nazi and Edward 7th had the morals of an alley cat. And so it goes on.