The Duke of York has voluntarily surrendered his shotgun certificate following a visit by specialist police officers to his Windsor residence. The move comes ahead of an anticipated relocation for the King's brother.
Police Visit Precedes Surrender
On Wednesday, November 19, officers from the Metropolitan Police's firearms licensing unit attended Royal Lodge in Windsor. They requested that Andrew, a man in his 60s, voluntarily give up his certificate. The force confirmed the certificate was surrendered but declined to elaborate on the specific reasons behind the request.
The visit and subsequent surrender were conducted in line with the College of Policing's firearms licensing guidance. A police statement emphasised that the case will now undergo a standard review process, with Andrew being notified of the outcome in due course.
Supervised Access and a Lengthy Shooting History
By choosing to surrender the licence voluntarily, it is understood that the former duke will retain a form of supervised access to his firearms. This means he can only use or transport his guns when accompanied by another authorised individual.
Andrew has a long-established connection to field sports and shooting. He was photographed in 1986 taking part in a celebrity clay pigeon shoot in Wales. Furthermore, an undated photo released by the US Department of Justice this week showed him with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, dressed in shooting attire on a moor believed to be Balmoral.
Relocation and Past Associations
Reports suggest a contributing factor may be Andrew's expected move to a property in Norfolk in the new year. Firearms certificate holders are legally required to inform authorities of any change of address and provide details on how weapons will be stored securely at the new location.
The former royal, who was stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages in 2022, has faced intense scrutiny over his past association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. During his 2019 BBC Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, Andrew addressed a shooting weekend at Sandringham, which he described as a straightforward event rather than a birthday celebration for Maxwell.
The Metropolitan Police has stated it will not comment further on this specific licensing matter at this stage.
