Prince Andrew was 'reluctant' to lose royal title and become 'commoner'

Prince Andrew was "reluctant" to lose his royal title and become a "commoner", claims one royal author. Revealing in a statement released by Buckingham Palace on Friday evening, the 65-year-old shared that he will no longer be using his "title or the honours which have been conferred upon me".

After sharing that he had close discussions with King Charles, with Prince William also said to have been heavily involved, Andrew added: "I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first."

He also recited back to 2019 when he was forced to "stand back from public life" after his disastrous interview with Emily Maitlis for BBC Newsnight.

Speaking of Andrew, Nigel Cawthorne, author of Prince Andrew, Epstein and the Palace, has said that he believes the royal was "reluctant" to lose his title.

He said: "It is only when new revelations cast a search beam on Prince Andrew's previous statements that the prince appears to make another act of contrition. It makes the act look both reluctant and too little too late."

Discussing the future and what Andrew could do, he added: "Will doors no longer open before him at Buckingham Palace? Why did he not simply become a commoner and adopt the family name Windsor-Mountbatten."

The name, 'Mountbatten-Windsor', combines the British Royal Family's House name of Windsor and Prince Philip's adopted surname of Mountbatten.

In his statement, Andrew also alluded to the claims made by his late accuser, Virginia Giuffre, adding: "As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me".

Although it was previously thought that Prince Louis could one day take on the title of Duke of York, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams claims the York title may never be used again.

Speaking to the Express, Mr Fitzwilliams shared that it is "highly unlikely" that the York title will be used again.