The British royal family may be rethinking its use of certain titles due to negative associations with current holders.
According to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, the titles of Duke of York and Duke of Sussex might be retired for a long time because of Prince Andrew and Prince Harry’s controversies.
Prince Andrew’s friendship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and his subsequent Newsnight interview in 2019 have severely damaged his reputation.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry’s decision to step down as a working royal and relocate to the US with Meghan Markle has led to his estrangement from the royal family.
Fitzwilliams believes that these titles are now linked to individuals with tarnished reputations, posing a risk to the royal family’s image.
“There probably will never be another Duke of York. There probably will never be another Duke of Sussex,” he said.
He also drew parallels with the title of Duke of Windsor, held by King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson. “There won’t be another Duke of Windsor,” Fitzwilliams predicted.
The commentator highlighted that certain titles have negative connotations, making them unsuitable for future royals. For instance, Prince Harry wasn’t made Duke of Clarence due to the title’s notorious history.
The last Duke of Clarence, Prince Albert Victor, was Queen Victoria’s grandson, whose life was marred by speculation about his mental health and sexuality.
Another Duke of Clarence, George Plantagenet, was known for switching sides during the War of the Roses and was immortalized in Shakespeare’s plays.
Fitzwilliams thinks that Prince Andrew will retain the title of Duke of York for now, as removing it is not “foreseeable” in the near future.
However, he remains uncertain about what might happen in the future. “What happens in another reign and how it’s handled, I don’t know,” he concluded.