The Gist
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, was stripped of his royal titles and privileges by his brother King Charles on October 30.
He also surrendered his prestigious Duke of York title on October 17, which he’d held for 39 years.
At last, on November 26, the royal family’s website updated its line of succession from the “Duke of York” to “Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor”—though many wonder why he’s still in the line of succession at all.
October and November are not months that the man formerly known as Prince Andrew will look upon fondly.
Last month, Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson surrendered their prestigious Duke and Duchess of York titles on October 17; then, two weeks later, on October 30 Andrew’s brother King Charles stripped him of all royal titles and privileges, leaving him a commoner named Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. He will also vacate his 30-room mansion Royal Lodge imminently, and will relocate to the royal family’s private Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and brother King Charles on September 16, 2025
Finally, as noted by People on November 26, the royal family changed Andrew’s name on its line of succession from the Duke of York to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. It might surprise some that Andrew—who is eighth in line to the throne—is even there in the first place, but removing him would require an Act of Parliament as well as the consent of the Commonwealth realms where Charles is monarch, according to the BBC.
Per The Telegraph, Downing Street confirmed that it had “no plans” to introduce legislation to remove Andrew from the line of succession, with the outlet noting “It is very rare for the Government to involve itself with succession or the rules surrounding it.”
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on July 27, 2019
That said, palace sources have indicated that “in the extremely unlikely event of seven untimely deaths, action would be taken to ensure Andrew would not become monarch,” The Telegraph reported.
As People noted, while rare, royals have lost their place in the line of succession in the past, particularly King Edward VIII, who became Duke of Windsor after he abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson in 1936.
Of Andrew—who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing—he is not set to move to Sandringham, which is where the royal family typically celebrates Christmas, until after the new year so that the family can avoid “a potentially awkward encounter” at the holiday, The Telegraph reported.
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on April 20, 2025
“It’s going to be a lonely life for him,” a source said of Andrew’s future at Sandringham. “It’s a working farm, so there are always people around—but they are staff, and he’s not someone who has a track record of being friendly with servants.”
“It’s cold, and he will be pretty much stuck there,” the insider continued. “It does have a certain beauty, but life will be bleak for him.”
Another former member of the royal staff added that “Maybe he will have a housekeeper, but he’s going to have to learn to fend for himself. He will certainly have plenty of time to learn domestic skills, as well as plenty of time for contemplation.”
Read the original article on InStyle