Real Reason Why the Late Queen Held a Special Fondness for Andrew’s 'Duke of York' Title
First created in 1385 by King Richard II, the Duke of York title is traditionally granted to the reigning monarch's second son.
Although Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former Duke of York title is now shrouded by scandal, it was once a prestigious honor held by the late Queen Elizabeth's father. First created in 1385 by King Richard II, the title is traditionally conferred upon the reigning monarch's second son. In 1986, the Queen bestowed it on her second son, Mountbatten-Windsor, but it was officially removed by King Charles amid renewed scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. With no male heirs of his own, the title will revert to the Crown upon his death.
The late Queen's father, King George VI, held the prestigious title before his surprising ascension to the throne. As the second son of King George V, he was granted the Dukedom in 1920. His wife, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, aka the Queen Mother, became the Duchess of York upon their marriage in 1923. For the next 13 years, the couple proudly carried these titles, during which their daughters, then-Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, were born. At the time, the future Queen was styled Princess Elizabeth of York, reflecting her parents' styles. Everything changed in 1936 when King Edward VIII abdicated, leading George VI to take on the reins and place young Elizabeth directly in the line of succession.
Unsurprisingly, the late Queen was very close to her father, and hence, it was especially meaningful for her when she granted Mountbatten-Windsor the title on his wedding day in July 1986. Additionally, she also conferred the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh titles when he married Sarah Ferguson. Sadly, the Yorks separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996, but they were recognized as the Duke and Duchess of York for nearly 40 years. Their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, have also used 'York' as a family surname, and an old photo even shows 'Beatrice York' written on one of her schoolbags.
After more than four decades of using the Duke of York title, Mountbatten-Windsor announced in a Palace statement on October 17 that he would no longer be using it. Soon after, Charles began the process of formally removing his brother's Prince and Dukedom on October 30, with the change finalized through Letters Patent on November 3. Many believed that, as Mountbatten-Windsor was allegedly the late Queen's 'favorite child,' such a day would never come. He is expected to relocate to the Sandringham estate in 2026, where he will live much more like a commoner.
It is also believed that the former Prince was reportedly blindsided by the severity of the King's response to his scandals. Drawing a comparison between the late Queen and Charles, an insider told OK!, "When the Queen died, so did Andrew's protection. She buffered him from the fallouts of all his scandals over the years, but once she was gone, there was no one left to shield him." Similarly, another source added, "Andrew knows this is the end of the road for his protections. Charles has made it brutally clear that titles and privileges are not untouchable."
