A council in Northern Ireland has taken a decisive step to remove the name of the disgraced Duke of York from a local street, marking a significant move following the loss of his royal titles.
Unanimous Decision for Change
Mid and East Antrim council voted unanimously on Monday to begin the process of renaming Prince Andrew Way in Carrickfergus. The motion was brought forward by the Alliance party and received cross-party support, including from Unionist parties and Sinn Féin.
Councillor Lauren Gray of the Alliance party, who proposed the motion, stated that the change was "long overdue" given the level of public comment locally. She suggested that the street should retain a link to the royal family by being renamed after the late Queen Elizabeth II.
A Name Tarnished by Scandal
The road was originally named Prince Andrew Way in 1986 to mark his marriage to Sarah Ferguson. However, calls for a change intensified last month after King Charles stripped Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor of his royal titles and military affiliations.
This action by the King was a direct response to the Duke's association with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the serious sexual assault allegations made against him by Virginia Giuffre. The former prince has consistently denied these allegations.
Anna Henry of the Traditional Unionist Voice party described the motion as "a sad but necessary" step. She remarked that the alleged actions of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had made it impossible for the council to continue honouring him.
The Practicalities of Renaming a Street
While the council has the power to change street names, the process is not without its complexities. Valerie Watts, the council’s interim chief executive, emphasised that residents must be consulted.
She explained that a change of address has far-reaching implications for people living on the street, affecting everything from bank accounts and credit cards to driver's licences and utility bills.
This move in Carrickfergus mirrors similar sentiments elsewhere in the UK. In Maidenhead, England, residents of Prince Andrew Road and Prince Andrew Close have also asked for their addresses to be renamed, with one resident noting the "raised eyebrows" that occur when giving out their address.
