A new law is set to be presented in Parliament today, aiming to authorize the King to formally strip Prince Andrew of his dukedom. The proposal comes from Rachael Maskell, the MP for York Central, who seeks to grant the monarch the authority to revoke titles.

This initiative follows Prince Andrew’s announcement to relinquish the use of his Duke of York title, knighthood, and his position as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter amid growing controversy surrounding his connections to Jeffrey Epstein.

Although the Prince has consistently denied any misconduct, he still holds his dukedom, which can only be taken away through a parliamentary act. Ms. Maskell, an independent MP, emphasized the necessity for Parliament or the monarch to have the ability to strip titles.

The Bill introduced by Ms. Maskell, named The Removal of Titles Bill, aims to address the situation where titles remain intact even if they are not actively used. The outcome of the Bill becoming law relies heavily on Government support, with indications that the Government is observing cues from Buckingham Palace. However, there is mounting pressure on the Government to revise the law in light of the swirling allegations.

Upon publication of the Bill, Ms. Maskell plans to distribute copies to Buckingham Palace and Keir Starmer to garner backing. She hopes for discussions between the palace and Parliament to assess the necessity and feasibility of this legislation.

Furthermore, the proposed law would extend to peerages, allowing for the potential removal of titles from members of the House of Lords like Baroness Michelle Mone and Lord Mandelson, who have faced calls for their peerages to be revoked recently.

Prince Andrew’s wedding day titles, including Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Killyleagh, along with his knighthood and Garter role, are among the titles he will cease to use. The existing Titles Deprivation Act of 1917, designed to strip titles from those who collaborated with the enemy during World War I, is deemed outdated and not applicable in the current scenario.

A recent YouGov poll indicated that four out of five Britons support the formal removal of Prince Andrew’s dukedom, with 63% strongly in favor and 17% somewhat supporting the idea. Only a small percentage opposed the removal, while a significant proportion remained undecided.