SNP calls for Prince Andrew to be stripped of dukedom ‘without delay’

Legislation to remove Prince Andrew’s dukedom must be put forward without “any further excuses and any further delay”, the Scottish National Party has said.

The SNP is putting forward a motion to pressure Sir Keir Starmer’s Government to strip Andrew of the title, which would require an Act of Parliament.

Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said that “power and privilege” has protected those in the Epstein scandal for far too long and that the legislation to remove the title must be brought forward.

Mr Flynn has submitted an early day motion (EDM) which allows MPs to express an opinion, publicise a cause or support a position. It is rare for them to be debated.

Andrew relinquished his Duke of York title last week after further fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and the publication of Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir.

However, he continues to hold his royal title.

Last month the SNP lodged a similar motion to pressure the Government to remove Lord Peter Mandelson’s peerage. The former UK ambassador to the US was sacked because of his own ties with paedophile financier Epstein.

The SNP’s proposed Bill would remove both Prince Andrew’s dukedom and Lord Mandelson’s peerage.

Mr Flynn said: “If the Westminster parties remain stubbornly slow in removing Prince Andrew’s titles the SNP will do all we can to force them to act.

“Prince Andrew’s titles can only be removed by an Act of Parliament therefore this SNP motion is a way to pile pressure on the UK Labour Government to bring forward that legislation immediately.

“The only real question is what Keir Starmer’s Government is waiting for?

“The public knows this is the right thing to do, and even more importantly the victims at the heart of the Epstein scandal know that it’s the right thing to do. It needs to be done without any further excuses and any further delay.

“Those implicated in the Epstein scandal have been able to escape justice because they have hidden behind their power and privilege.”

Mr Flynn said if Labour fails to act they are choosing to “sit on their hands” and for the sake of Epstein’s victims Sir Keir’s Government supports bringing forward the law change.

Legislation has been used before to strip titles, including descendants of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert who supported the German side in the First World War.

The Titles Deprivation Act 1917 was used two years later to strip the titles from Leopold Charles, Duke of Albany, Earl of Clarence and Baron Arklow; Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, Earl of Armagh; Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick, Prince of Great Britain and Ireland; and Henry, Viscount Taaffe of Corren and Baron of Ballymote.

The law remains in force but as it refers specifically to the First World War, its provisions are unlikely to be relevant today.

The Government has indicated that it would not introduce any legislation to strip Andrew of his titles unless the King wanted to.

On Monday, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the question of legislation was “a matter for the palace in the first instance” and the ministers “support the judgment of the King” regarding Andrew’s titles.

He added: “The Prime Minister’s thoughts are very much with the victims and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein who suffered and continue to suffer.”

On Sunday, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “I think the royal family have said that they didn’t want to take up parliamentary time with this; there are lots of other things that Parliament is discussing, I think it’s right he’s given up his title.”