An Ontario city has decided to take down all plaques and signs that connect Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to its downtown area after the former prince lost his titles from the British Royal Family.
Councillors in Mississauga have followed King Charles III’s example by cutting ties with the former Prince Andrew at city hall and a nearby street.
At the end of October, Buckingham Palace announced it would officially remove his brother, Andrew, from the title of prince due to his ties with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The disgraced royal also lost the title “his royal highness” after the king issued a Letters Patent, an old type of document used by monarchs to grant – and take away – titles or positions.
The king had previously taken away the title Duke of York from his brother.
Story continues below
A motion presented by Mississauga Ward 4 Coun. and Deputy Mayor John Kovac formally severed the connection between Duke of York Boulevard and Andrew, although it stopped short of renaming the street.
Get daily National news
Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories.
Coun. Alvin Tedjo initially wanted Duke of York Boulevard renamed entirely. However, he couldn’t gain support from his colleagues for this more expensive change.
<p. In 1987, Andrew visited Mississauga to open the city's Civic Centre. Duke of York Boulevard, which runs through downtown, was named in his honor, and a plaque was installed at city hall to celebrate that visit.
<p. Back then, royal visits were highly anticipated events. The Mississauga News reported on a Sarah Ferguson lookalike contest along with around 70,000 attendees.
However, since 1987, Andrew’s reputation has drastically declined and there has been increasing pressure on the Royal Family to distance themselves from him.
More on Canada More videos
This demand intensified following new details about his friendship with Epstein and renewed scrutiny on sexual abuse claims made by one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, whose memoir was released last month.
Andrew is also being asked to vacate Royal Lodge, a large mansion near Windsor Castle where he has lived for over two decades.
<p. The motion passed by council removes those plaques and redefines the road as honoring Canada’s history as a constitutional monarchy rather than being linked specifically to Andrew.
Story continues below
“While we’ve kept the name of the boulevard to avoid significant inconvenience and cost for residents, partners, and businesses who reside on Duke of York Boulevard, we’ve removed all associations with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor,” Mayor Carolyn Parrish wrote in a statement.
“As a Council, we’re sending a strong message that we stand against gender-based violence and are dedicated to creating a more inclusive and respectful environment for survivors.”
– with files from The Associated Press
& copy 2025 , a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Source link
