Residents of a small town in Scotland have rallied to keep a street named after the disgraced Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, despite the ongoing fallout from the Epstein scandal. While many towns and cities across the country have opted to rename streets associated with the former royal, locals in Renfrew, six miles west of Glasgow, believe changing the name of Andrew Avenue would do more harm than good.
Background of the Street
Andrew Avenue is part of a cluster of streets named after the late Queen Elizabeth's children, including Charles Avenue, Anne Avenue, and Edward Avenue. The street, named in the late 1960s, houses approximately 50 homes. The local council launched a consultation on renaming it late last year, following concerns about its association with the former Duke of York, who had just been stripped of his titles and forced to give up his lease on the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Resident Perspectives
Speaking to the BBC, residents expressed indifference to the name's negative connotations. Yvonne Laidlaw, a lifelong Renfrew resident, stated: 'I've lived here all my life, and it was never something I thought of. These houses have just always been Andrew Avenue to me; you don't think of Prince Andrew just with that, so it doesn't bother me at all.'
The primary concern for most was the cost and inconvenience of a name change. Karena Quaile, a self-employed resident, explained: 'There would be a lot of impact on us if the name changed—you're looking at switching driver's licences and things like that. I'd have to tell contractors about it—it would be a lot of hassle for no real gain, and I don't think people hear the street name and think of Prince Andrew.'
Another resident, Norman Gerrie, added: 'I see where people are coming from about it, but I'd rather just remain Andrew Avenue. Just changing it for getting bills or anything like that would be inconvenient. Maybe it'd be different if the street was called Prince Andrew Avenue, but it's not, so it doesn't bother me.'
Consultation Results
Despite some residents feeling indifferent, Councillor John Shaw, who requested the consultation, noted that some locals had 'expressed clear views' about living in a street named after the former prince. Replies included a comment that the street name was 'totally unacceptable if associated with the former prince.' Shaw said: 'I believed that the people who actually lived in the street deserved the opportunity to have their say.'
During the consultation, 22 of 52 households responded. Sixteen said they would not support a formal proposal to rename the street, four said they would, and two reported mixed opinions within their homes.
Andrew's Current Situation
Andrew is keeping a low profile and adapting to his new life at Marsh Farm on the King's Sandringham estate. The former prince has been spotted a handful of times in recent months, walking his dogs on the estate in Norfolk. In February, Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over claims he shared confidential information with Epstein while serving as a trade envoy. He was released after 12 hours in custody, with Thames Valley Police confirming he remains under investigation.
